


And Stalker Makes Three (Or Possibly More)

by Skater2



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M, Fluff, lots of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-08
Updated: 2015-06-01
Packaged: 2018-03-16 23:41:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 77
Words: 61,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3506945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skater2/pseuds/Skater2
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An unexpected telephone call from his father sends Dr. Spencer Reid to Las Vegas in search of Emma, his erstwhile wife.  When he finally locates her, he receives the shock of a lifetime.  And, then, when their stalker reappears -</p><p> </p><p>Conclusion of my Reid/Emma series of stories</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

Not for the first time Dr. Spencer Reid cursed his eidetic memory. He clearly remembered everything about that morning and, in particular, every word of Emma’s outburst, which was burned indelibly into his brain.

“Spencer, it seems we have different ideas of what constitutes a marriage,” Emma had told him. “And, obviously, we should have discussed them before we jumped into this situation.”

“I understand that you have a demanding job that takes a lot of your time and also takes you out of town a lot,” she had continued. “I also realize that I will probably be spending a lot of time by myself. I have absolutely no problem with that! What I do have a problem with is the fact that you seem to think that I am going to continue living here in Las Vegas and just picking up and running to Quantico or wherever you happen to be at the moment whenever you feel like seeing me. Spencer, I am your wife – I am not a booty call! If you want a booty call, let me know and I can give you a few phone numbers.”

“Now, I know you have to leave to join your team. So, why don’t you go back to Quantico or wherever the team is headed and think it over? Then, get back to me and we’ll talk about it. You have my number!”

With that, she had walked swiftly across the room and out of the apartment as Reid stood staring after her, wondering what it was that she had originally wanted to discuss.

That had been 5 months (or 23 weeks or 161 days) ago. During that time, Reid had immersed himself in working on cases and consults at the BAU. He had joined Morgan for workouts in the gym and had joined JJ for early morning runs. He had played numerous chess games on line with anonymous players from all over the world. However, during all that time, he had never made the phone call to his wife. He justified it to himself by saying that he had no idea where to start the conversation and/or what to say to her. However, today –

 

**And The Adventure Begins . . .**

 

Dr. Spencer Reid was nervously standing outside the door to Emma’s office at Bennington Sanitarium wondering again if he was doing the right thing. True, she had sent him back to Quantico to think things over, but that had been 5 months (23 weeks - 161 days) ago. He had expected to hear from either her or his father concerning whether or not the paperwork for the annulment of their marriage had been filed. But, he had heard nothing. Then, a day ago, his cell phone had rung.

“Dr. Reid,” his routine answer.

“Spencer,” Will Reid had replied. “How are you?”

“Dad, this is a surprise. Just fine, actually. What about you?” a routine reply.

“No complaints. Listen, Spencer, I know you are busy so I’ll just ask what I need to and be on my way.”

“Okay. What can I help you with?”

“I still have the annulment papers for you and Emma on my desk,” Mr. Reid had told him. “I was wondering if you would like them as a sort of souvenir or whether I should just destroy them.”

Reid thought for a minute. Apparently, his father wasn’t aware of the current situation between him and Emma. It was embarrassing, and he needed to stall.

“Let me talk to Emma,” he replied. “Then I’ll get back to you.”

“Sounds good,” his father had replied. “I’ll hang on to them until I hear from you.”

Twenty-four hours later, here he stood, staring at Emma’s office door. Taking a deep breath, he knocked.

“Come in,” her familiar voice called out.

Gingerly he pushed the door open and, hesitatingly, stepped into the room.

“Spencer?” she asked, obviously surprised. “What are you doing here?”

“We need to talk.” He stopped and looked at Emma sitting on the other side of her desk.

“You look different,” he blurted out.

“Darn his mouth again,” he thought. Even when he was trying hard not to, he still tended to blurt out unwelcome comments.

Emma tilted her head slightly to the left and looked at him. “In what way?” she asked blandly as she picked up a bottle of water from her desk and took a drink.

“Your face, it looks – puffy,” may as well be honest about it, he figured. “And, your breasts seem bigger, and your hair – It looks different somehow.” Reid paused to take a breath.

“And, you never used to keep a water bottle with you,” he concluded weakly.

“What conclusions would your magnificent profiler’s mind reach from all these observations?” Emma seemed to be mocking him.

“Well,” Reid began reviewing possible responses. He didn’t want to make things worse than he already had.

Then, his cell phone rang. Automatically he took it out and glanced at it. Darn, it was Hotch.

“Sorry,” he glanced at Emma. “I have to take this.” He pushed the Answer button and started to move the phone to his ear.

 **“No You Don’t!”** Before he realized what was happening, Emma had moved from behind her desk and was standing next to him. Grabbing the phone, she threw it against the wall, where it crashed and then fell to the floor in pieces.

Reid stared at her in amazement. “That’s government property!” was all he could say.

“And, I am a taxpayer,” was her angry response.

“You can’t – You can’t just,” Reid stuttered as he looked into her angry eyes. She was panting slightly, as if moving from behind the desk had strained her. His eyes moved downward and he suddenly realized why she was panting.

“You’re pregnant!” he blurted out.

“What was the giveaway?” she countered.

“You’re so big!” Darn his mouth again. That was the wrong thing to say, and he knew it.

“Twins do have a tendency to take up more room than singles,” she informed him as she reached for the couch behind her and sat down.

“And, yes, you are the father,” she added.

“Are you sure?” He couldn’t help it.

“Spencer Reid,” she began. “You know very well you are the only man I have ever been with. And, as far as going to a lab for verification, I don’t have either the money or the inclination. If you insist, however, feel free to run a DNA test.”

The door to her office flew open. “Dr. Porter? I heard a crash coming from in here. Are you alright?” A tall, bespeckled older man in a white lab coat rushed into the room.

“Oh, Dr. Reid,” he said. “I didn’t know you were here.”

“Dr. Norman,” Reid acknowledged him.

Dr. Norman looked over at Emma sitting on the couch. Quickly assessing her pasty complexion and ragged breathing, he moved to check her pulse.

“Dr. Reid, go down the hall, get a nurse, and ask her to bring a wheelchair in here,” he instructed.

Spencer just stood there, staring at him and Emma.

“Now, Dr. Reid!” Dr. Norman barked. “Now! We need to get her to the hospital wing!”

Reid ran out the door and immediately encountered a nurse, pushing a wheelchair, headed toward Emma’s office.

“I heard the noise,” she explained. “We’ve been expecting something like this to happen. Hold the door, please.” Expertly she maneuvered the wheelchair into the room, stopped it in front of Emma, and locked the wheels.

“Dr. Reid, you will wait in my office,” Dr. Norman instructed as he helped Emma into the chair.

“But – But,” Reid stuttered.

“My office,” Dr. Norman told him sternly. “You know where it is.”

With that admonition, Dr. Norman and the nurse disappeared down the hallway with Emma.

As Reid slowly walked down the familiar hallway to Dr. Norman’s office, he was lost in thought and failed to notice a dark haired young woman trailing discretely behind him. When he reached Dr. Norman’s office, Reid immediately began going through the psychiatrist’s bookshelf looking for something to read while waiting to find out his wife’s condition. Meanwhile, Moira Donovan, after a quick glance through the doorway to confirm his identity, continued down the hallway and disappeared through a service door.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To everyone who has already taken the time to begin reading this story and has send me Kudos - Thank You! I hope you aren't disappointed!

As his BAU team sat around the table in their conference room, patiently waiting for him to start their Monday morning meeting, Aaron Hotchner again looked at his cell phone.

“I’m not getting an answer from Reid,” he told the assembled agents. “Does anyone know if he had any plans for the weekend?”

“I think he was going out of town, Sir,” Garcia ventured.

“How far was he going?” Hotch asked. “Wherever it is, I’m sure he has cell phone service.”

“Maybe he has his phone turned off,” Rossi suggested.

“Turned off?” Hotch looked at Rossi. “Why would he do that?”

“Maybe he had something personal to do,” was Garcia’s suggestion.

“Okay,” Hotch looked first at Garcia and then at Rossi. “What aren’t you telling me?”

Rossi, Garcia, and JJ exchanged looks. Then, choosing his words carefully, Rossi began.

“You do know that Reid and Emma haven’t been living together, don’t you?” he asked.

“Reid came back to Quantico by himself, right after the vow renewal ceremony,” JJ contributed. “There was some sort of – misunderstanding – I guess.”

“Emma stayed in Las Vegas,” Garcia added. “First, in her old apartment, but then she wasn’t there any more.”

“She just disappeared?” Blake asked.

“Well, she is back working at Bennington,” Garcia told her. “But, I have no idea of where she is living.”

“Poor Reid,” Morgan commiserated. “After what happened last time, he was probably embarrassed. I wish he would have said something. I would have tried to talk some sense into her.”

“Remember, Reid is a very private person,” Blake reminded him. “He probably figured he could work through it himself.”

“And Emma can be quite stubborn,” Rossi pointed out.

“The bottom line, though,” Hotch brought everyone back to topic. “Is that we aren’t sure where Reid is and whether he will be available to review or work cases in the near future.”

“Let’s just proceed without him,” Blake suggested.

Hotch spent the next hour and a half going over requests for consultations from various agencies throughout the U.S., as well as several requests from overseas All were assigned to one of agents present, with requests requiring computer research being handed over to Garcia. As everyone was filing out the door, Garcia approached her boss.

“Sir,” she began. “I’ve been thinking. I have some comp time coming and some vacation time and I can get Kevin to fill in for me here. Would it be okay if I took several days off? I would be available by phone if anything urgent came up.”

Hotch looked at her. Years as a profiler, plus his acquaintance with Garcia, told him what she was really asking. “You want to go looking for Reid, don’t you?” he asked gently.

“Yes,” she replied. “And, there is something I didn’t want to say with everyone else in the room.”

“Okay.” Hotch knew that if he waited she would tell him.

“I think she’s pregnant,” Garcia blurted out. “Emma I mean. And, it’s probably my and Rossi’s fault because we hid the condoms and everything.”

“Garcia,” Hotch began. “Do I want to know about this?”

“Well - ,” the tech looked embarrassed. “What I want to say is that I haven’t really been snooping, but when Reid asked me to check and see if I could find her, I looked and saw a whole bunch of doctor’s bills and when I checked out the doctor – Well,” she rushed through her last words.

“I understand,” Hotch told her. “Just make sure Kevin understands what he needs to do, and that he knows he is only temporary. I do plan on your coming back!”

“And, keep me updated,” he added.

“Of course, Sir,” Garcia assured him as she rushed out of the room.


	3. Chapter 3

Reid waited patiently in Dr. Norman’s office, and waited and waited. He tried reading and finished several issues of Today’s Psychiatry, but still no sign of the doctor. Finally, after one hour, seventeen minutes, and eleven seconds, Dr. Norman appeared and took a seat behind his desk. 

“Just so you understand, Dr. Reid,” he began. “Dr. Porter, Emma, isn’t officially my patient. However, out of respect for her, I do consider myself bound by doctor-patient confidentiality.” 

“She has, however,” he continued holding up his hand when Reid began to interrupt, “Authorized me to pass on some information.”

“Okay,” Reid responded. He had never considered the possibility that he would be denied the information he wanted. After all, legally, he was Emma’s husband. However, under the circumstances, he would take whatever was offered.

“First off,” Dr. Norman started, “Dr. Porter is pregnant with twins. She is quite adamant that they are yours and wants you to know that you can feel free to arrange a DNA test at any time – At your expense, of course. Currently, she is suffering from the beginning of a preeclampsia condition. This is usually treated with bed rest, which is what her doctor has recommended. Right now, she is resting in our hospital wing while we monitor her.”

Reid stared at him. “That’s all?” he asked. 

“That is all Dr. Porter authorized me to tell you,” was the response.

Reid took a deep breath and asked the question that had been preying on him. “She is going to be all right, isn’t she? And the – the babies?”

“As far as we can tell, yes,” Dr. Norman assured him.

“May I see her?”

“I don’t think that would be wise at this point. She is resting comfortably and I don’t want her unnecessarily upset.”

“What about an extra blanket?” The question sounded senseless, but Reid had to make sure.

“An extra blanket?” Clearly, Dr. Norman thought he was losing it.

“When Emma gets upset or really worried or scared she gets super cold,” Reid explained. “Her body temperature stays stable but she starts shaking and her lips turn blue and her hands turn icy. She needs an extra blanket,” he ended on a whimper.

“Dr. Reid - Spencer,” the psychiatrist looked at him closely. “I have known you for many years and I have to ask - What is going on with you two? You obviously care about Emma, and I know she cares for you. What went wrong?”

“I messed up,” Reid confessed. “An IQ of 187 and an eidetic memory and I still can’t deal with people. I really need to talk to her. Are you sure I can’t see her?” 

“First off,” Dr. Norman started, “Maybe the fault isn’t entirely yours. I know Emma and she is overwhelmingly independent and, at times, quite stubborn. May I suggest that the two of you go back to the point where the problem started and try to figure out what went wrong?” 

“That sounds reasonable,” Reid admitted. “But that involves me talking with her.” He looked hopefully at the older doctor.

“Not tonight. However, for your own peace of mind, I do have a way you can check on her. But, you have to do exactly as I say.”


	4. Chapter 4

As Reid walked with Dr. Norman down the long, tiled hallway into the hospital wing, he tried unsuccessfully to concentrate on the psychiatrist’s conversation. His thoughts were a jumble of “I hope she’s okay. Twins?? They account for approximately 18.9% of all naturally occurring pregnancies. I should have called her. Does anyone else know?”

“Dr. Reid?” He was being called back to his current situation. “Spencer?”

“Yes, I’m sorry,” he looked up at the other doctor. “It’s just that I’ve got a lot to absorb. I never expected any of this.”

“I know,” the older man looked solemn. “Now, do you remember what we agreed to?”

“You’re going to go into the room to check on Emma. I’ll stay outside where I can hear, but she can’t see me,” Reid recited.

“That’s right,” Dr. Norman agreed. “And, afterwards, you go visit your mother. Spend the night on the couch in her room. You are not to go back to Emma’s room – Understood?”

“Understood,” Reid agreed reluctantly. “I just want to be sure she is okay,” he added.

“I know,” Dr. Norman told him. “But you need to realize that I need to be worried about Emma. Even though, technically, she’s not my patient, she is under my care for the time being. Tomorrow morning will be time enough. She should be well enough to be released, and the two of you can talk then.”

When they reached Emma’s door, Dr. Norman turned to Reid. “Okay, stand on that side of the door and stay there,” he pointed. “Remember, you keep quiet and out of sight or I will have you removed.”

Dr. Norman knocked and then entered Emma’s hospital room. “Hello there,” Reid heard him say in his cheery doctor voice. “How’s the patient this afternoon? I see you have Nurse Laura helping you.”

“Better,” a familiar voice responded. “And a little embarrassed,” it continued. “I am so sorry to have caused you all this trouble. You’ve been terribly patient with me and this is how I repay you.”

“Don’t worry,” Dr. Norman responded. “I just wish you had remembered what Dr. Stiles told you.”

“No getting upset and modified bed rest,” Emma recited. “I am resting periodically throughout the day,” she continued. “And, I had nothing to do with my getting upset. Spencer just walked through my door without any warning. By the way, where is he?”

“Don’t worry about him, he’s visiting his mother,” was the doctor’s reply. “I gave him strict instructions not to come down here. He is worried about you, though.”

“Tomorrow will be time enough to deal with him,” Nurse Laura opinioned. “Right now, you need to eat and get some rest. Right, Doctor?”

“Listen to the expert,” Doctor Norman’s smile sounded in his voice. “It may have been a while since we had a maternity patient in here, but she still remembers. I’ll leave you in her capable hands. Tomorrow morning, I’ll see about releasing you to Dr. Stiles’ care.”


	5. Chapter 5

Reid spent the rest of the day with his mother. He hadn’t seen her since his and Emma’s vow renewal ceremony, although he had continued writing her a daily letter. He wasn’t sure how much she knew or understood about his and Emma’s situation, and he hesitated to ask. Dr. Diana, however, brought it up on her own.

“Spencer,” she started, “It may not be any of my business, but why wasn’t I told that my daughter-in-law is pregnant?”

“Uh-h-h,” was all he could reply.

“I may have my bad days,” Dr. Diana continued. “But even I can see what is going on with her. I do see her quite frequently. And I can also hear what the nurses are saying.”

“I didn’t know,” his excuse sounded weak, even to him. “We haven’t been talking and I haven’t seen her and, Mom, I really messed up,” he confessed. “I don’t know how to do it, but I need to make things right with Emma.”

“Spencer,” she looked sternly at him, “Maybe I’m not the right person to be giving you advice, but it seems to me that if you really care for Emma you will just go to her and say what is on your mind. If you have to, get down on you knees and beg her to listen. If I know her as well as I think I do, she’ll listen.”

“You really think so?” Reid hoped she was right.

“Maybe I am biased,” his mother confessed. “But I can’t imagine anyone saying ‘No’ to you, if you ask in the right way.”

That night Reid slept sounder than he had in months. He knew what he had to do and was prepared to do it. He was going to do whatever it took to get Emma back and to take care of her and their children.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

A sound night’s sleep came with a price. The next morning, Reid awoke later than he had anticipated. He rehearsed what he was going to say as he rushed through his morning routine, and then ran down the hallway to the hospital wing.

The door to Emma’s room was standing open. Reid stopped outside to compose himself and then walked into an empty room. A hospital gown was lying crumpled up on the unmade bed, but Emma was definitely gone. Stunned, he rushed down to the nurse’s station.

“Where is Emma – Dr. Porter?” he demanded of the nurse on duty.

“What do you mean? She should be in her room,” the nurse replied.

“There is a hospital gown lying on the bed, but she isn’t there!” Reid was getting upset.

“She was there the last time I checked,” the nurse told him. “And that was only about ten minutes ago. She couldn’t have gone far. Maybe she went down to Dr. Norman’s office.”

Reid hurried down the familiar hallway to Dr. Norman’s office, only to find that the door was still locked. As he stood there, stunned, Dr. Norman appeared, walking down the hall toward him.

“Good morning, Dr. Reid,” was his greeting as he approached.

“Do you know where Emma is?” he blurted out.

“She’s not in her room?” the doctor was clearly shocked.

“No, the nurse said she must have just left. Did you see her in the parking lot?” Reid asked.

“No, I would have stopped and questioned her,” was the reply. “I haven’t released her.”

“Do you have any idea where she would have gone?”

“Her doctor, the OB who is treating her. His name is Dr. Stiles. Come in and I’ll get you his address.”


	6. Chapter 6

It was mid-morning and Reid was standing in a parking lot staring at the low, brown stucco building housing Dr. Stiles’ office. It was hot with the sun reflecting off the asphalt, but still he stood there in the heat, undecided as to how he should handle the situation. He could just go into the office and ask whether Emma was there, but they would probably cite patient confidentiality and refuse to talk to him. They might even call the police. Would flashing his FBI credentials help? He didn’t know.

From the corner of his eye, he saw a car pull into the lot. His profiler’s mind noted that it was black, fairly large, and very expensive looking. The way it was hesitating, it appeared as though the driver was checking the street address to make sure they were in the right place. Reid wondered whether it was another of the doctor’s patients. Tentatively, he took a step toward the building.

“Reid!!” The door of the luxury sedan flew open and he found himself engulfed in a sea of color, topped by blond hair.

“Spence - We found you. You’re okay!” A second head of blond hair joined the first as he was pulled into a group hug with Garcia and JJ.

“Well, my young friend, it appears that you have been located,” Rossi emerged from the driver’s side of the vehicle and walked across the asphalt to join Garcia and JJ.

“What – How – You’re here,” Reid stuttered.

“You went off the grid and the ladies were worried about you.” Rossi would never admit that he had also been concerned. “So, Garcia made an educated guess and started out to find you.”

“I met her at the airport,” JJ contributed. “It seems we were on the same flight, with the same objective.”

“Then, Dave showed up,” Garcia smiled. “And here we are.”

“Spence, what is going on? Talk to me,” JJ looked searchingly into Reid’s face. “Something is wrong. What is it?”

“I really messed up with Emma this time,” Reid blurted out. “Even worse than before. She’s pregnant, and she’s sick, and yesterday the doctor wouldn’t let me talk to her. This morning when I went to see her, she was gone. I hope she’s here but I’m not sure and I don’t know what to do. I really need to talk with her.”

“Garcia guessed that Emma was pregnant, that’s how we found you. We tracked down her doctor,” JJ told Reid. “But, sick? What’s wrong?”

“The beginnings of preeclampsia,” Reid’s voice wavered. “She was supposed to be on modified bed rest, but she just kept on going. Working at Bennington, she probably figured that any help she might need was within shouting distance.” He sounded as if he was on the edge of hysteria.

“Okay, calm down,” Rossi was the voice of reason. “Let’s figure out how we want to proceed with this.”

“We could always follow our original plan,” Garcia suggested. “Just go in, flash our badges, and demand answers.”

“Works for me,” Rossi agreed. “Let’s do it.”

The agents quickly fell into a wedge formation behind Rossi and started across the parking lot towards the building. Before they reached it, however, the door opened and a pregnant woman came out.

“Oh my gosh - That’s Emma!” JJ gasped as they skidded to a stop. “Spence, how far along is she?”

“It’s twins,” Reid told her. “That’s also part of the reason she’s been sick.”

“I wasn’t expecting that,” was Rossi’s dry comment.

As they watched, Emma stood for a moment on the porch, seemingly trying to catch her breath. Then, with her head hanging down, she began walking towards the cars parked in the area reserved for patients.

“Emma!” Reid called out. “Emma!” He began rapidly walking towards her.

Emma raised a tear-stained face and looked in their direction. “Spencer, what are you doing here? Garcia? JJ? Dave? What’s going on?”

All four BAU agents started running toward Emma. Garcia reached her first and enveloped her in a hug. “Sweetie, you’re upset and you’re crying.”

“And shaking,” JJ noted as she joined them in the hug. “What’s the matter? Are you okay? What about the babies?”

“It’s just the doctor’s staff,” Emma told them sniffling. “They were upset because I showed up early this morning without calling first and put their entire day’s schedule out of whack. Also, they think modified bed rest means that I should be sitting at home staring at four walls and going stir crazy. You know me, I just can’t do that. They were all lecturing me. It was horrible!” She trailed off.

“Emma,” Reid hesitantly moved closer to the group of women. “Emma?”

Rossi had been standing back watching. “We need to get you out of this heat,” he declared. “Emma, can we go to your place? You can sit down and rest while we talk.”

“Well, I guess so,” Emma replied. “You know I’ve moved?”

“We know,” Rossi told her. “Just give me the address and I’ll get you there.”

“It’s near campus,” Emma explained. “Several of the students who work part-time at Bennington got an opportunity to do a study abroad semester and I sublet their apartment from them.”

“That’s why I couldn’t find you!” Garcia exclaimed.

Startled, Emma looked at her.

“Sorry,” Garcia apologized. “I wasn’t snooping or anything, it’s just that I was really worried about you.”

“I asked her to,” Reid spoke up. “I really wanted to talk with you, and then a case came up and then another and I didn’t follow through and I am so sorry!”

“So am I,” was the brief reply.

“Okay, Emma, into my car,” Rossi took charge. “You can put the address into the GPS system and then call the others on my cell. They can follow us.”

“What about my car?” Emma asked. “Why can’t everyone just follow me?” She took a set of keys out of her purse.

“Which one is it?” Rossi obviously didn’t see a vehicle that lived up to his standards.

“That one, over there.” Emma pointed at a small, beat up Chevy with faded turquoise paint.

“You’re driving that?” Reid couldn’t help himself.

“It passed the safety inspection and it is paid for,” Emma snapped back. “Also, it has room in the back for two car seats. I stay within my budget, remember?”

“Enough!” Rossi could see an argument in the making. “Emma, get into my car. You’re going with me. JJ, you can drive Reid in his rental car. I don’t think he’s in any shape to drive. Garcia, do you think you can handle Emma’s car?”

“I’ve never met a gear shift I couldn’t handle,” Garcia declared as she reached for the keys Emma was handing her.

“It’s an automatic,” Emma told her. “I wasn’t sure how my – condition – would affect my ability to shift so I took the easy way out.”

“I’m powering it up even as we speak,” Garcia headed off towards Emma’s vehicle.

“This way,” Rossi took Emma’s arm, escorted her to his luxury rental car, and opened the door. “Do you need help?”

“Not getting in,” Emma told him. “Ask again when it’s time to get out, okay?” She stretched out on the tan leather seat and closed her eyes. “This is so nice,” she commented. “I could take a nap in here.”

“Only the best for expectant mothers,” Rossi told her. He walked around the car and climbed into the driver’s seat.

“Although I must confess, I am a little surprised,” he continued the conversation as he started the car. “Twins?”

“Spencer always was an overachiever,” Emma smiled at him as she slightly shook her head. “Apparently that carries through to all aspects of his – Well - You know.”

“You’re smiling,” Rossi looked at her. “That’s a step in the right direction. Now, what direction are we headed in?”

“Out of the parking lot and turn right,” Emma pointed. “Then I’ll give you turn-by-turn directions as we reach the corners. It’s not far. Everyone should be able to follow us without any problem.”

As Rossi started the car and pulled out into traffic, Emma began digging in her purse. “Darn!!” she exclaimed. “I thought I had another one in here.”

“What?” Rossi glanced over at her.

“A granola bar,” Emma explained. “I’m getting a little hungry.”

“Emma,” Rossi glanced at his watch. “Did you eat any breakfast today?”

“I grabbed some toast at the hospital and I ate a granola bar on my way to the doctor’s office,” Emma told him.

“That’s it?” Rossi was outraged. “Young lady, you do know you are eating for three, don’t you? And, for your information, eating in the car doesn’t count!”

“As if I need reminding! There are times lately when I feel like I am eating constantly!” Emma retorted. “And, for your information, I had to eat in the car. They don’t like it if you eat or drink anything in the doctor’s waiting room. I found that out the hard way. They chewed my head off! I’ll get something to munch on when we get to my place.”

“Munching is not eating breakfast,” Rossi told her. “I seem to remember seeing a 24-hour diner somewhere around here. We’re stopping there and you are going to have a decent meal.”

With Rossi looking for the diner and the others watching traffic and following him, no one thought to check in their rearview mirrors. If they had, they would have noticed that a nondescript, older, tan colored car had joined their caravan.


	7. Chapter 7

Rossi soon spotted the 24-hour diner and pulled into the parking lot. The two other cars easily followed him while the interloper continued down the street and turned right at the next corner.

As soon as JJ stopped the car, Reid jumped out and rushed over to Rossi’s car. “Is something wrong?” he demanded. 

“No problem,” Rossi was already out of his car and walking around to the passenger side. “Just a hungry, expectant mother.” Opening the door, he offered Emma his hand and helped her out.

“Thanks,” she smiled up at him. “I can get down okay, it’s getting up that is starting to be a bit of a challenge.”

“I remember those days well,” JJ smiled at the memory. “I think I ate constantly for the entire nine months.”

“Breakfast sounds good. Plus, this will give me a chance to check in with Hotch,” Garcia added as she joined them. “He must be wondering what is going on.”

“OH NO!” Emma gasped. “I have to call Dr. Norman. I walked out on him without any explanation. He must be wondering what happened to me.”

“Don’t worry,” Reid told her. “I called him while JJ drove. He knows that you are safe and with me. Although, he is a bit upset with you.”

“Understandable,” Emma replied shortly. “I will need to call him again in a little while and explain things,” she added.

The group walked across the parking lot and into the restaurant with Rossi keeping a protective hold on Emma’s arm. 

“Five?” the hostess questioned them when they got inside the door. “Table or booth?”

“Five, and definitely a table.” JJ spoke up. “I still remember the time I realized I couldn’t get out of the booth,” she told Emma. “Thank goodness Will was there to help me.”

“This way, please,” the hostess picked up a pile of menus and led them across the restaurant. When they reached the designated table, she stopped and looked at Emma.

“Just a minute, Sweetie,” she said. She went to a nearby table and got another chair. “Try this,” she put the new chair in position for Emma. “It has a bit more padding and should be a little more comfortable. You look like you don’t have much longer to go.”

“Thanks! Actually, it’s twins and I still have a couple of months,” Emma told her as she sat down. 

“Twins! How wonderful!” the hostess exclaimed. “Do you know what they are – Boys or girls or one of each?”

“No,” Emma laughed. “After all the tests they did all I wanted to know is if they are healthy. I figured I would find out the other details the old-fashioned way. I like surprises.”

“You’re a brave one,” the hostess told her. “Now,” she said as she distributed the menus to the others who had seated themselves around the table. “What can I get everyone to drink?”

“Iced tea,” JJ told her.

“Same here,” Garcia added.

“Make it three,” was Rossi’s decision.

“Coffee,” Reid was nothing if not consistent.

“And for Mother?” the hostess looked expectantly at Emma.

“Decaf coffee,” Emma told her. “And, if you can fill the cup about half full so I’ll be able to add a lot of milk?”

“Can you make sure you bring whole milk?” Reid spoke up. “She needs the calcium,” he explained.

“You must be the father,” the hostess commented.

Reid looked over at Emma. “Yeah,” he said as a silly grin engulfed his face. “I’m the father.”


	8. Chapter 8

“You really don’t want to know the babies’ sex?” JJ asked once the hostess had left to fill their drink orders.

“No,” Emma responded. “It’s in the doctor’s records and the lab’s, but I told them I don’t want to know. That way I won’t have any unrealistic expectations for them. As long as they are healthy, that’s all I care about.”

“That sounds good enough for me,” Rossi said. “Now, let’s decide whether we want breakfast or lunch.” He began perusing his menu.

“You’ll want to eat high protein foods,” Reid began telling Emma. “At this stage the babies are starting to build tissue and muscle, and the brain is developing as well. Plus, you need to consider the calcium required for bone growth.” He paused and looked at Emma, who was beginning to glare at him. “Oh – Oh!”

“Spencer,” Emma began heatedly. “I have done just fine by myself for the past five months – Thank you very much! The babies are fine, I am fine, and I don’t think I need your - “

“Stop it right now!” Rossi intervened. “Emma, we know you are independent, some might say stubborn, and have always been able to take care of yourself. But, you need to remember, things are changing and they are changing fast. You are going to need help, whether you want to admit it or not. Reid, you need to respect Emma’s intelligence and her independence. Try discussing things with her and not dictating them to her. Now, do you both understand?”

“Wow,” was all JJ could say. “If you ever decide to make a career change you can go into marriage counseling.” 

“With three failed marriages and several broken engagements, you think I didn’t learn anything?” Rossi replied with a smirk.

“I don’t know about the rest of you,” Garcia commented slyly. “But I find it sexy.” She smiled at Rossi.

When their waitress stopped by the table to distribute drinks and take their food orders, Rossi and Reid both tried to discretely guide Emma’s food choices to foods they considered healthy for the babies. However, they were both forced to back down when she threatened to walk home if she wasn’t left alone.

“By the way, Reid,” Garcia changed the subject after the waitress left. “What happened to your cell phone? Hotch kept trying to call it but couldn’t get through.”

“Oh - ” For once Reid seemed to be at loss for words.

“It’s my fault,” Emma quickly interrupted. “It kind of got – destroyed?”

“Do I want to know about this?” Rossi asked.

“Probably not,” Emma told him. “You’re probably better off if you’re kept in the dark.”

“Like a mushroom,” JJ added with a mischievous grin. 

“Don’t worry,” Garcia assured Reid. “I’ll think of something to tell Hotch. I need to call him and check in.” She took out her cell phone and pushed a button.

“Garcia?” Hotch’s voice came over the phone’s speaker.

“I - We - are here, Sir, and you are on speaker phone,” Garcia warned him.

“Okay – Is everyone alright?” was Hotch’s cautious response. “And, who is ‘We’?” he questioned.

“I have Rossi, JJ, Reid, and Emma with me,” Garcia told him. “And, yes, everyone is just fine.”

“It’s Twins!” Reid couldn’t help proudly announcing. 

“Shut up,” JJ nudged him. “Take your turn like everyone else.”

“I assume the twins announcement is related to Emma and not to some unsub?” Hotch chuckled. “I can’t think of any other explanation.”

“Twins??” Morgan’s voice echoed behind Hotch. “Did Reid say ‘Twins’? Blake, get in here!”

“Let me,” Rossi took over the phone. “Hotch, we located Reid and Emma, and they are both fine. However, we have a slight complication in that Emma is pregnant with twins and we need to verify that she is able to travel before we can head back. How are you and the rest of the team doing?”

“We haven’t been sent out on a case yet,” Hotch told him. “So we are all here in the office doing paperwork. What is the deal with Reid’s cell phone?” he asked.

“It sort of went missing,” Garcia improvised. “I’m making arrangements for him to get another and it should be here by tomorrow.”

“Do you need any of us back at Quantico?” JJ asked. 

“Not for a day or so,” Hotch assured her. “Although, Cruz is getting a little anxious about the possibility of us having to operate with a smaller than normal team.”

“Reid?” Blake’s voice came through the speaker. “What is this Morgan is telling me about twins?”

“You tell her Reid – You are The Man!” Morgan’s voice again joined the conversation.

“You can all talk about that later,” Rossi informed them. “Right now, our food has arrived and Emma needs to eat. Is there is anything further?”

“Nothing,” Hotch assured them. “Just make sure you keep in touch in case I need you. And, Congratulations Reid and Emma!”

“Over and out,” Garcia signed off.


	9. Chapter 9

As everyone sat around the table eating and talking, Reid watched Emma as she seemingly devoured everything in sight. Finally, he had to ask. ”I know pregnant women tend to eat more than they would otherwise,” he said. “But you never ate anywhere near this much when we were together. Is all this because of the twins?”

Emma looked over at him. “Spencer, when we were together we never went out to eat,” she reminded him. “We always stayed in and I cooked. I was concerned that you wouldn’t like what I made. So, I was always watching you and waiting to see what you had to say. Of course, I never ate. I was too nervous.”

Reid closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then looked over at Emma. “You are a great cook,” he told her seriously. “I always liked everything you made.”

“Except for that salmon casserole,” he added belatedly.

“You never said anything,” she told him. “And, you are right about the salmon. It was definitely not one of my better experiments.”

“I messed up, right?” he asked.

“Well, some sort of feedback does kind of help,” Emma replied. “Everyone needs reassuring from time to time.”

Emma turned to JJ who was sitting next to her. “You never told me how you all ended up in Vegas together,” she said. “I’m surprised Hotch let all of you go at the same time.”

“We were very persuasive,” JJ told her. 

“Actually, it was pretty much by accident,” Garcia explained. “I arranged for Kevin to take my place with the computer analysis and then told Hotch that I would like to take some time off. He guessed what I was doing, and gave his approval.”

“Then, I got a call from my publisher suggesting it was time I did a series of lectures and signings in the Western U.S.,” Rossi smirked. “Good publicity for both the BAU and the FBI. Cruz couldn’t say ‘No’.”

“That leaves me,” JJ smiled. “I told Hotch that Henry was upset because his Godfather was missing. That, in turn, upset me so much that I couldn’t concentrate and get any work done. He caved!”

“We met up at the airport,” Garcia continued. “All booked on the same flight to Vegas.”

“And, Dave was kind enough to upgrade our tickets to First Class!” JJ looked at Rossi. “Thank you, again!” she told him.

“Wow – First Class – I am impressed,” Emma said. “I usually fly at the dead of night tied to the wing!”

That brought a laugh from everyone as they began standing up and preparing to leave the table. Rossi immediately walked over and helped Emma push her chair back and stand up.

“Dave, you’re treating me like I’m helpless,” she complained.

“Get used to it. I intend to keep a close eye on you for the next several months,” he told her.

“Well, you are going to have to let me out of your sight for a few minutes,” she smiled at him. “I have to make a stop at the ladies room.”

JJ and Garcia each claimed one of Emma’s arms.

“Don’t worry,” JJ assured Rossi. “We’ll keep an eye on her.”

As the women had headed to the ladies’ room, Reid and Rossi walked outside and into the parking lot. 

Reid turned to the older agent with a concerned look on his face. “Dave, I haven’t had a chance to think about it,” he started. “But Emma is going to need help for the rest of her pregnancy. And, afterwards, with two babies - ”

Rossi took a deep breath. “Reid, I lost my son, and, consequently, my wife. Take my word for it - There is nothing more important in your life right now than Emma and those babies. Make them your priority. Do whatever is necessary to take care of them, regardless of what Emma says. Knowing her, she is going to constantly fight you about it, but hang in there. In the long run, it will be worth it.”

As the two men stood seriously talking, neither of them noticed that the short, dark haired man seated at a table near the restaurant’s door had also stood up and had followed them out of the restaurant. Elliot Williams quickly made his way across the parking lot and got into a car, prepared to follow the group to their next destination. He hoped that it was close by because he needed to get back to Bennington in time to return Moira’s car and get back to his ward before his curfew time arrived.


	10. Chapter 10

It was a short drive from the restaurant to Emma’s apartment, and soon everyone was walking down a shabby hallway towards her front door. 

“Here we are,” Emma announced as she stopped in front of a door, and then took a second look at her doormat.

“It appears that there is a – dead creature – “ Garcia began.

“The building manager’s cat,” Emma laughed. “I think he is in love with me. This is the third present he has left me. I really don’t know where he is getting them from. I thought he was an indoor cat who never left the building.”

“The third rat?” Rossi questioned thoughtfully.

“The second rat,” Emma corrected him. “It was a bird the last time.” She got out her key, put it into the lock, and turned it. “Just step over it. I’ll get a plastic bag in a couple of minutes and get rid of it.”

Everyone looked around curiously as they walked into the apartment. While the place was clean and neatly organized, the furniture was old and definitely showed signs of having seen better days while the carpeting was definitely in need of replacement.

“I have two bedrooms here,” Emma explained gesturing. “With twins I knew I would need another bedroom. Also, I’m on the first floor so it will be easier to get everyone and everything in and out. As much as I liked my old place, I faced the fact that I just couldn’t stay there.”

“Well, the neighborhood is a bit nicer,” Reid observed carefully. “And, there is more space for parking. Is some of this your old furniture?”

“Just some of the bookcases,” Emma told him. “The rest of the furniture belongs to the grad students I’m subletting the place from.”

Garcia looked at Emma. “Sit down,” she told her leading her to the couch. “You look beat.”

“I am kind of tired,” Emma admitted. “I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.”

“Why don’t you go lie down and try to take a nap?” JJ suggested. “You have had a rough time this morning, and I suspect you can use some rest.”

“Much as I hate to admit it, you’re right,” Emma sighed. “Will you all excuse me for a while? You won’t think me a bad hostess?”

“Seeing as how we invited ourselves into your home and back into your life, don’t worry about it,” Rossi assured her. “Get off your feet and get some rest.”

After Emma had apologized again and disappeared into the closest bedroom, Rossi turned to Reid.

“What kind of cooking equipment does Emma have?” he asked.

“I’m – I’m not really sure,” Reid admitted. “When we were together we were mostly at my place.”

“Well, let’s take a look,” Rossi declared. “I’m cooking dinner tonight and I need to make a list.”

After a quick search of the kitchen, Rossi had compiled a shopping list.

“Okay, Reid, where is the nearest grocery store?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” Reid replied, flustered. “I’ve never lived in this part of Las Vegas.”

“That’s where I come in,” Garcia declared. “Let me check on-line and see what I can find for you. What kind of grocery store are you looking for?”

“Just a standard, everyday store will be fine,” Rossi told her.

“All right – Sending address and directions to your phone,” Garcia caroled after a brief computer search. “Do you want me to come with you?”

“No, you and JJ stay here in case Emma needs something. Reid can come with me and push the cart,” Rossi delegated responsibilities.

After first disposing of the dead rat on Emma’s doorstep, the two men drove to the supermarket Garcia had located. Rossi began by pillaging the Produce Department and then began leading the way up and down the various aisles. As Reid automatically followed behind him, pushing the shopping cart, he was deep in thought. Abruptly, he realized that they had reached the far side of the store and that the cart was almost full. 

Looking around he blurted out, “Is it okay if we go back to the Floral Department?”

“JJ once told me that the best way to start an apology was with flowers,” he explained, looking over at Rossi for confirmation.

“JJ would know,” Rossi agreed. “What exactly are you apologizing for?”

“Everything,” Reid sighed. “Not taking the time to call Emma and talk with her, not paying attention to her, and not appreciating everything she’s done for me. I seem to have compiled a rather extensive list.”

“Well, I don’t know if the list is earned or not,” Rossi pointed out as they walked back across the store. “But, flowers are always a starting point. See anything you like?” They had reached the Floral Department. “More specifically, do you see anything Emma would like?”

“That’s another one of the things I never paid attention to,” Reid confessed. “I have no idea what she likes. Red roses, maybe?”

“No, those are far too serious for Emma’s personality,” Rossi objected. “Let’s try something lighter and more ‘fun’. Something we can use as a centerpiece on the dinner table.”


	11. Chapter 11

After consulting with the Floral Designer, Reid and Rossi selected a colorful bowl arrangement that mimicked the flowers Garcia had chosen for Emma and Reid’s vow renewal ceremony. They then loaded everything into the car (Reid being extra careful with the flowers) and headed back to the apartment.

“You were being careful about what you said concerning Emma’s new place,” Rossi observed as he drove.

“Yes, I think I learned something,” Reid admitted. “You know, we’ve had several arguments about where she was living before. I didn’t want a continuation of that.”

“Good Boy!” Rossi congratulated him. “Keep the peace. She doesn’t need more stress in her life right now.”

As soon as they pulled into the parking lot of Emma’s apartment building, Garcia rushed out to greet them.

“What did you get?” she demanded. “”You went shopping without me. I can’t stand it when people go shopping without me. Let me help you carry everything in. Oh – Flowers!!!”

“They’re for Emma,” Rossi told her sternly. “We’ll use them as a centerpiece for tonight’s dinner table.”

“How is Emma?” Reid asked anxiously as they carried the multiple bags of groceries into the apartment.

“Sleeping soundly,” was the reply from JJ. “The poor thing passed out as soon as her head hit the pillow. She was exhausted!”

“May I check on her?” Reid asked shyly, as he put the bags he was carrying on the kitchen counter.

“Go ahead,” JJ smiled at him. “Just don’t wake her up. She needs to get her rest now. Once the babies arrive she’s not going to be getting any down time.”

After Reid had disappeared into the bedroom, JJ and Garcia turned to Rossi.

“We need to talk,” they declared.


	12. Chapter 12

“After you and Reid left, we looked through the apartment,” JJ began the conversation.

“Not that we were being nosey,” Garcia assured him.

“We were looking solely out of consideration for the wellbeing of Emma and the babies,” JJ defended their actions.

“Okay – Okay,” Rossi held his hands up to stop their protestations. “The bottom line is, ’What did you discover?’ ”

“There is a problem,” Garcia declared seriously.

“She hasn’t bought a thing for the babies,” JJ explained. “The room she has designated for them is being used for storage. There is no baby equipment, furniture, or clothes in there. I know the minute I found out I was pregnant, I started shopping. Emma hasn’t bought anything!”

“Her maternity clothes all look like they came from a second hand shop,” Garcia continued. “They aren’t designed for someone who is having twins. They don’t fit her properly and they aren’t colors that look good on her.”

“Plus, look at this place. It’s clean, but - - “JJ trailed off. “So, we decided to look further,” she continued. “We know she is working at Bennington and probably making a reasonable salary. The fact that she doesn’t seem to have any money to spend made us wonder.”

“We weren’t being nosey, we were just worried,” Garcia clarified.

“So, you checked her bank account?” Rossi looked anxiously towards the door to the bedroom.

“Yes, I went on-line and did some digging,” Garcia admitted. “And, not just into her bank account, I checked her other accounts, as well.”

“She does get a good salary,” JJ stated. “And, her student loans are being paid off on a regular basis. Actually, one of them is scheduled to be paid off next month.”

“However?” Rossi was expecting Reid to reappear.

“It’s her credit card bills,” Garcia told him. “They are outrageous. Most of the charges seem to come from the airline tickets she bought to travel back and forth to visit Reid.”

“Visit Reid?” Rossi echoed shocked. “She was a full time student and she was paying for all of that herself?”

“Yes. And, apparently, she bought all kinds of stuff for his apartment, as well,” JJ offered. “Judging from the charges, everything she bought him was top of the line.”

“Our guess is that she figured that they would eventually merge their finances and that would solve the problem. Unfortunately, that never happened,” Garcia observed.

“I don’t think Reid even realized what was going on,” JJ defended her friend. “She was coming to visit him and cooking and taking care of him, and Reid never questioned it. He was just being – Reid.”

“And, knowing her, we can assume she never asked anyone for help,” Rossi sighed.

“You know how independent she is,” JJ pointed out. “Plus, she was probably too embarrassed to go to either Reid’s father or her own family and tell them what had happened.”

“The bottom line is - You need to talk to Reid, man-to-man, and let him know how things stand,” Garcia fixed Rossi with her patented evil glare.

“You can be sure I will!” Rossi wasn’t sure what he was going to say to the younger agent, but he was certain it would be forceful and to the point.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

Reid tiptoed into the bedroom and looked at Emma lying asleep on the bed. She had just kicked off her shoes and fallen asleep with her clothes on. Concerned, Reid looked around for a blanket to cover her with and found a quilt he recognized. He tucked it around her and, being careful not to wake her, sat down at the foot of the bed to watch her. Relaxed and sleeping, Emma looked like a teenager, young and free from all the stress that had recently been plaguing her.

As Emma took a deep breath and shifted in her sleep, Reid noticed how her swollen belly showed from beneath the quilt. He had a sudden urge to touch it but resisted, worried that he might wake her up. He moved to the side of the bed and looked closer. Those were his children she was carrying. Suddenly, unaccountably, Reid began to feel guilty.


	13. Chapter 13

With JJ, Garcia, and Rossi all working together, the groceries were quickly unpacked and put away. Rossi then began assembling the equipment and ingredients he needed to prepare dinner.

“What is on tonight’s menu, Oh Master Chef?” Garcia teased him.

“Something healthy for the expectant mother,” was the reply. “And, yes, the both of you are going to help.”

“Where do I start?” JJ was always ready to cook.

“Mixing the salad dressing,” Rossi declared. “After it’s mixed, it needs to sit in the refrigerator for a while. The ingredients are over there. I will give you the instructions as you mix.”

“And me?” Garcia willingly volunteered.

“You get do the pasta. Do you remember what I taught you?” Rossi had worked with her perfecting her technique.

“How could I forget one of the best – No THE best – Cooking lesson of my life?” Garcia declared.

“And, I will handle the sauce. My secret family recipe. Now, let’s get cracking.”

By the time Reid emerged from bedroom, dinner was well under way.

“How’s Emma?” JJ asked.

“Still sleeping soundly,” Reid told her. “She must have been really tired. I don’t remember you sleeping like that when you were pregnant.”

“I wasn’t having twins,” JJ reminded him. “And, a lot of people went out of their way to make sure I didn’t get overly tired or stressed. Up until now, Emma hasn’t had the support I had.”

“Well, she does now,” Garcia interjected. “We’re here for her.” She glanced at Rossi.

“Yeah,” Rossi recognized the signal. “Spencer, you and I need to have a talk. Let’s take a walk outside. Penelope, keep stirring the sauce. No letting it sit, no additions – Just stir.” With that pronouncement, Rossi handed his spoon to Garcia and shepherded Reid out the door.


	14. Chapter 14

It was a severely chastised Reid who followed Rossi back into the apartment a short time later. 

“I knew I screwed up, but I didn’t realize how badly,” were his first words to the women as he nervously brushed his hair out of his eyes. “Dave had some suggestions on how to fix the situation. Will you two help?” The last came out as a plea.

“Of course,” both of the women chorused. 

“Just let us know what you need us to do,” JJ volunteered.

“Although, I warn you, if I think anything is out of line, I will let you know,” Garcia warned.

“We’ll discuss everything later,” Rossi told them. “Right now I think I hear Emma in the bathroom.”

Emma smiled as she walked into the kitchen. “Wow – What time is it? I was really wiped out,” she declared. “Something smells awfully good. Dave, have you been cooking?”

“Just for you,” Rossi replied. “You look well rested.”

“I feel a whole lot better,” Emma admitted. She looked at the dinner table. “Fresh flowers, too? You really went all out.”

“The flowers are for you from Spence,” JJ hastened to tell her.

“Flowers, for me? Spencer, you have never bought me flowers for no reason!” Emma was clearly surprised. “Thank you!” She walked over and kissed him on the cheek.

“Well, I just wanted to do something - Well – You know,” a red-faced Reid stuttered.

“Let’s get this show on the road,” Rossi took over. “I hope you’re hungry.”

“Much as I hate to admit it, I am starving,” Emma told him. “And, if I remember right, I just ate!”

“Then, sit down,” Rossi gestured towards the table, which had been set for the five of them. “We will start with the salad - Which JJ constructed,” he added.

Emma began walking towards the dining area, then stopped and looked at the group. “Wait a minute,” she said. “Did someone here go grocery shopping? I don’t remember having all this food in the house.”

“Reid and Rossi went shopping,” Garcia told her. “There wasn’t a whole lot of food here.”

“Probably not,” Emma agreed. “I always eat lunch, and sometimes dinner, at Bennington. The food isn’t exactly five star gourmet but the meals are well balanced and nutritionally sound with lots of ‘good for you’ stuff in them.” 

“Those meals are designed for their patients, not for a pregnant woman,” Reid was quick to point out. “Your nutritional needs are different.”

“I’ve been taking my prenatal vitamins and the calcium pills prescribed by my doctor,” Emma defended herself. “Besides, if I didn’t think the meals at Bennington were good I would have complained a long time ago. Dr. Diana has to eat them.”

“Enough!” Rossi declared. “We are going to eat dinner in peace and harmony. No Exceptions!”

“No problem,” Emma assured him as she resumed walking towards the table. However, to her amazement, her progress was interrupted by Reid who pulled out a chair for her and seated her before sitting down next to her and picking up her hand.

“Spencer,” she stared at him. “What brought this on?”

“I’ve missed you,’” he told her, looking her in the eyes. “And, we need to talk. Not now, not during dinner, but later tonight. I intend to keep an eye on you until then.”

“Feeling protective?” Emma asked. “I understand that’s not unusual for expectant fathers.”

“You should have seen Will,” JJ told them as she also sat down. “There were days I couldn’t go out to get the mail without him checking on me!”

“Protective is good,” Garcia commented. “At least you know he cares.”

“I do care,” Reid squeezed Emma’s hand. “And, I plan to prove it.”

“Not right now, I hope,” Rossi commented dryly. “I’m planning on eating dinner.”

“Which smells absolutely delicious,” Emma assured him. “Now, tell me, who helped with what? I assume it was a group effort.”


	15. Chapter 15

Dinner proceeded with jokes and laughter all around. Rossi told stories about his adventures on his various book tours as well as with his ex-wives, while JJ brought Emma up to date on Henry’s latest antics. Garcia contributed stories about her computer hacking associates and even Reid remembered some stores concerning his university days. Rossi had hoped for a relaxed, convivial dinner, and he had succeeded in orchestrating one.

“Well, much as I hate to break up the party, we need to get back to our hotel. I have to get ready for tonight’s reading and book signing, and I’m taking my cheering section with me. Can I trust you two not to kill each other?” Rossi stood up, bringing the meal to an end.

Emma smiled at him. “I think so,” she replied. “As I see it, the main problem is that Spencer and I were both were raised as only children in unconventional households. Neither of us ever learned talk through our feelings nor to negotiate a solution to a problem. We both need to work on that.”

Emma stood up and began collecting the dirty dishes on the table. JJ stopped her. “Go sit on the couch and rest,” she said. “We made the mess, we will clean it up.”

“No,” Emma countered. “You made dinner, I’ll clean up.”

“We will clean up!” Rossi delivered the ultimatum. “You need to stay off your feet.”

“Limited bed rest, not totally incapacitated,” Emma replied.

“Off your feet,” Rossi and Reid chimed together. “Now.”

“Go sit with her,” Rossi told Reid. “Make sure she stays on the couch. Sit on her if you have to!”

“Not literally,” he quickly added, knowing Reid’s tendency to take comments at face value.

“I wasn’t about to physically sit on Emma,” Reid assured him. “Besides, there is something I have to ask her.”

“What?” Emma looked at him curiously.

“Do you remember the last morning we were together?” Reid asked as he sat down next to her on the couch. “We were sitting on your bed talking and you said there was something we needed to discuss. Then, I said the wrong thing and you got upset, and then Hotch called and – well – you know. What was it that you needed to ask me? Do you remember?”

“Spencer, of course I remember,” Emma told him with a small smile. “But, it is a moot point now. Just forget it.”

“No,” it was Reid’s turn to be stubborn. “I need to know. That is where this entire problem started and if we are going to move on, we need to resolve it. What was your question?”

Emma started giggling. “Oh, Spencer,” she finally managed to choke out. “If you will remember, we had just spent the entire night repeatedly having unprotected sex. We had never discussed children – Whether you wanted them, whether I wanted them, when, how many, anything. I wanted to discuss whether we needed to go find a pharmacy where I could get the Plan B Birth Control Pill.”

Emma stroked her stomach. “It’s a little late for that now,” she declared.

The clean-up crew in the kitchen had stopped working and all three of them were listening intently.

JJ broke the silence. “I assume you never made it to the pharmacy,” she said. “What did you do?”

“You’re right, I didn’t.” Emma told her. “I rode the city buses for several hours and then finally came home. When I got there, Spencer had left with your team and hadn’t left a note or even sent me a text message. I got even more upset and stomped around the block some more. When I finally remembered about getting the pill, I was still in the window of opportunity, but I figured that the odds were in my favor that I wouldn’t get pregnant. It was about six weeks later when I realized something was wrong. Only in Las Vegas!!”

She didn’t notice as Garcia and Rossi exchanged guilty looks.

“Did you ever think about not having the babies?” JJ asked hesitantly.

“Oh Yes!” Emma quickly replied. “That was my first thought when the home pregnancy test came back positive. However, after reviewing my personal situation and realizing that this might be my only chance to have a child, I began seriously considering going fully term with the pregnancy. Then, when the doctor said ‘Twins’, my mind was made up.”

“I should have listened to what you wanted to say,” Reid said sadly. “Instead, I went off on my own tangent and – Well, here we are.”

“Okay,” Emma took a deep breath. “Now, there is something I need to say, and don’t anyone interrupt me. Spencer, if you want to walk away from this right now, go ahead. No hard feelings and I’ll understand. This has been quite a shock for you. I made several decisions on my own, and you needn’t feel bound by them. If you want to bail – bail. Just remember, any decision you make now is for the rest of your life. It’s entirely up to you.”

Reid heard Garcia’s quick intake of breath and he could feel Rossi’s eyes boring a hole in the back of his head. Emma was right, this had been a shock, but how did he really feel about it? Twins? He had never seriously considered children as a part of his future.

He looked down at his fingers which appeared to be twisting together of their volition. All of a sudden, he felt a tightening in his chest and he knew what he had to do.

Reid raised his head, took Emma’s hand, and looked directly into her eyes.

“Emma, I never thought I would find someone to love me,” he began. “I have always known I was different and that people had problems relating to me. I didn’t think I would ever find someone who was interested in just me. And, then, after the debacle with Maeve, I was convinced it would never happen again. However, I came home one night and found you sitting on my doorstep. You didn’t care about my quirks or my accomplishments or my family problems, you just wanted to love me and be with me. And, you have no problem with having my children, whether they were expected or not. I love you and I’m not about to walk away from our chance to have a family and a future together.”

“Are you sure?” Emma needed to hear it again.

“I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life,” Reid assured her as he blinked back his tears.

“Good answer, _Boyo_! Now, as entrancing as this has been, we have to be going,” Rossi broke the ensuing silence. “We will be back early tomorrow morning with breakfast,” he smiled proudly at Reid as Emma stood up to give him a hug.

As he hugged her back, Rossi suddenly broke off and looked down at Emma’s stomach. “Was that what I think it was?” he asked.

“I think so,” Emma told him. “I think you just got kicked – Sorry!”

“You can feel the babies?” Reid sounded amazed.

“Well, I have felt them flutter kicking for a while now,” Emma told him. “But it has never been strong enough for someone else to feel it – Until now.”

Reid reached for her stomach and then hesitated. Emma took his hand and placed it on the top of her bump. “You probably won’t feel anything right now,” she told him. “But, as I understand it, just wait a few weeks -.”


	16. Chapter 16

Reid walked JJ, Garcia, and Rossi out to Rossi’s rental car where they held a quick conference. When he returned to the apartment, Emma was lying stretched out on the couch.

“Tired?” he asked.

“A little,” she admitted. “But, I just got up from a nap!”

“You and the babies need your rest,” he told her. “Your sleep requirements are going to be increasing throughout the coming months. Also, you should be tested for anemia – “ he trailed off. “I’m sorry!” he apologized. “I just can’t help it!”

“I know,” Emma smiled at him. “And, if you’ll try harder to control it, I’ll try harder to be more understanding. Deal?” She bent her knees and made room for Reid to sit at the end of the couch. 

“Okay,” he smiled at her as he sat down. “You do realize this is the first time we have been alone together since – well – since the night when we - ”

“I know,” Emma replied ruefully. “And, look where that got us.” She rubbed her stomach.

“Now that Rossi isn’t here to take your head off, are you sure? Really sure?” she continued. “You can make your escape now, if you want to. I won’t tell.”

“NO!” Reid was emphatic. “I am going to be with you, helping you, for the rest of our lives!”

“Okay,” Emma struggled to stand up. “In that case, I need some of that help right now.”

“What can I do?” Reid was nothing if not cooperative.

“I have been dying to take a bath!” Emma told him. “A nice, warm bubble bath with lots and lots of bubbles that smell really good! I have been afraid to get into the tub when I was here by myself because with my center of gravity shifting I was afraid I might slip and fall when I got out. Now that you are here – “

“A bubble bath?” Reid sounded doubtful.

“A bubble bath!” Emma repeated emphatically. “And, if you want, you can join me,” she offered.

“But that – Two of us – Naked - You know what might happen?” Reid stuttered.

“Spencer, I am your wife, and I am already pregnant, what else could happen?” Emma questioned.

“But, you’re pregnant,” Reid pointed out.

“Spencer, how many pregnancy and childbirth books did you read when JJ was expecting?” Emma asked.

“Seventeen,” he admitted.

“Plus, some chapters in other medical books and a bunch of articles in various journals, right?” 

Reid nodded mutely.

“What did all those books and articles say about sex during pregnancy?” Emma inquired.

“Uh – h – h - h,” was the best Reid could do.

“They said that as long as it wasn’t super kinky or inherently dangerous there was no problem – Right?” Emma stated. 

“Now,” she said as she walked towards the bathroom. “I want my bubble bath! Are you going to join me or not?”


	17. Chapter 17

The next morning Reid woke up slowly. The first thing he first noticed was that he was in a strange bedroom. That, in and of itself, wasn’t unusual. With as much traveling as his job with the BAU entailed, he frequently woke up in strange hotel rooms. However, the second thing he noticed was that he was not alone in the bed. He looked over and smiled at the person sleeping next to him. Emma - His Wife – His Pregnant Wife! He was finally back with Emma!

“Breakfast,” he thought as he rolled over and quietly sat up. He remembered all the times Emma had gotten up early and fixed his breakfast when they were together at his apartment. This time it was his turn.

Clean clothes were in his go bag. Where was that? Still outside in his rental car. Reid began pulling on his clothes from the previous day. He desperately needed his coffee!

As he frantically dressed, there was a knock at the door. Looking through the peephole, he saw a flurry of bright colors that denoted Garcia’s presence in the drab hallway. Smiling, he opened the door and saw that JJ and Rossi were standing next to the tech.

“Good morning!” Garcia greeted him as she sailed past him into the apartment, her arms loaded with shopping bags and packages. “How is everyone this morning?” 

Rossi followed closely behind her carrying bags that, from the smells emanating from them, contained breakfast foods, while JJ brought up the rear, carrying in even more shopping bags.

Reid had to smile, Garcia’s cheerfulness was contagious and he was delighted to see everyone. “I could use some coffee,” he admitted. “And my go bag. Let me run out to my car and get it. Something smells good!”

“Before you go,” Garcia handed him a new cell phone. “Kevin pulled some strings and this was waiting for me at the front desk this morning. Hotch already has the number and all your speed dial numbers have been programmed into it.”

“Thank you,” was his grateful reply. As he left the apartment, he added, “Emma is still sleeping.”

When Reid returned to the apartment, everyone was busy opening packages. Rossi and Garcia were setting breakfast foods on the kitchen table, while JJ was unpacking multiple items of clothing and arranging them on the couch. 

“How was your evening?” Rossi asked as he handed him a cup of coffee.

“Well,” Reid blushed. “Emma wanted to take a bubble bath.”

“Spence, you didn’t!” JJ sounded shocked, but was laughing.

“Oh, No!” Garcia chimed in with a giggle.

Reid turned even redder. “Well, she is my wife,” he told them. “And, it’s not like we have to worry about her getting pregnant.”

“I hope you didn’t make her take the end with the faucets,” Rossi advised with a smile. “I understand that is grounds for divorce in some states.”

Their laughter was cut short by a crash coming from the bedroom, followed by Emma’s voice, “Blast it all!”, and sobs. Reid immediately charged into the bedroom followed closely by the others. After a quick look, Rossi discretely turned his back while Reid fell on his knees next to his wife, who was lying on the floor next to the bed.

“What happened?” Reid asked anxiously.

“When I woke up I forgot I was pregnant and tried to move normally,” Emma was sobbing. “I fell out of bed. I don’t think I’m hurt, just upset and embarrassed.”

“Oh, Sweetie,” JJ knelt down and put her arms around Emma. “That happens. Let me help you get up. You can sit on the bed.” She helped Emma up, got her seated on the bed, and sat down next to her.

Garcia picked up a robe from the foot of the bed and draped it around Emma’s shoulders. “Don’t worry. You’ll be okay. Just sit still for a minute.” She sat down on the other side of Emma and wrapped her arm around the sobbing woman.

As they sat there, Emma suddenly started getting up from the bed. “Darn, the bathroom,” she declared. 

“That’s okay,” JJ said as she and Garcia helped her stand up. “That happens, too.”

As Emma headed towards the bathroom door, Garcia called after her, “When you’re done, why don’t you just put your robe on and come back into the living room? You can sit on the couch there and have breakfast. You should see what we brought!”

Emma wasn’t in the bathroom long. When she emerged, wrapped in her robe, her face had been washed, her hair had been combed, and she was wearing a minimal amount of makeup. As she walked into the living room, she looked around and her mouth fell open.

“What is going on here?” she asked. “Where did all this stuff come from?”

“Well, last night while Rossi read to his fans and signed their books, we kind of went shopping,” Garcia explained. 

“I hope we did a good job. We had to guess at the sizes,” JJ finished up.

“I can’t let you buy all this stuff for me!” Emma protested loudly. “I haven’t got this kind of money! I get paid on Friday, but I was planning on getting car seats. The hospital was adamant about not letting me take the babies home unless I have approved car seats.”

“Whoa – Whoa – Whoa,” Rossi interrupted her. “Everything here went on Reid’s credit card. He’s the one who is paying.”

“Spencer?” Emma turned to him. “We need to talk about this.”

“Well,” Reid turned red for the second time that morning. “It is kind of my fault that you need new clothes. And JJ and Garcia offered to do the shopping.”

“Now,” Rossi was back in charge. “Emma, why don’t you go put on some of these new clothes and then come back out here? We need to eat breakfast quickly because you have an early appointment.”

“Leave the tags on,” JJ told her. “That way if the outfits don’t fit or you don’t like them we can return them.”

“An appointment?” Emma questioned. “I need to get to work! Let me call Dr. Norman and tell him I am going to be late.”

“I already spoke with him,” Rossi assured her. “Everything has been covered. I’ll tell you all about it once you are ready to go.”

Emma had no sooner left the room to change than Rossi turned to JJ. “Give me one of those empty bags,” he told her. “I’ll get rid of it.”

“There was a dead gopher in front of Emma’s door this morning,” Garcia explained to Reid. “We moved the poor thing to one side and figured we would wait until she wasn’t around to get rid of it.”

“You don’t think it’s the cat, do you?” Reid questioned anxiously.

“I don’t know,” Rossi was holding an empty bag. “But I would suggest that we all need to keep our eyes open.”


	18. Chapter 18

Reid caught his breath and tried not to stare when Emma came out of the bathroom wearing one of the outfits Garcia and JJ had picked out for her. She still looked pregnant, but with the flowing top and the fitted trousers all the strange angles and bulges were gone and she looked – sleek – was the only word he could think of.

“You look gorgeous,” he blurted out. Anxious that he may have again said the wrong thing he glanced at JJ, who smiled and nodded her approval.

Rossi also nodded his approval. “Not to say that you looked bad before, Kiddo, but this is a definite improvement,” he told her.

JJ and Garcia were even more vocal. “We got it right!” they chortled as they gave each other high fives. “Great color,” from Garcia. “Got the size right,” from JJ.

“Breakfast,” Rossi sternly reminded everyone.

Reid beamed as he held Emma’s chair out for her and then sat down next to her. “You look amazing!” he told her as he picked up her hand. “And, your hair still smells fantastic!”

“Today’s agenda,” Rossi announced once he had made certain Emma had food in front of her and was actively eating. “Last night I had a talk with Dr. Norman. I told him I knew he couldn’t ethically recommend another doctor for you, but I posed the question that if his wife were in your situation was there a particular doctor he would like her to see. He recommended a Dr. Beekman. He then volunteered to personally call the doctor and make an appointment for you.”

“I don’t know what he said,” Rossi continued, “But, he must have been awfully convincing because you are the good doctor’s first patient today. She is coming in early just to see you.”

“Really?” was all Emma could say.

“That is, if you want another doctor,” Rossi hastened to add.

“Another doctor is probably a good idea,” Emma admitted. “I am sure Dr. Stiles is a good doctor for some women, but he definitely is not a good fit for me. I kind of ended up with him by accident and have been too, I don’t know – scared maybe – to find another doctor.”

“Have you checked Dr. Beekman out?” Reid wanted to know.

“Of course! You’re not the only one worried about Emma,” Garcia was insulted. “And, she checks out perfectly. Well, not exactly perfectly, but she looks like just what Emma needs.”

“Breakfast first,” Rossi decreed. “Then we go!”

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

The drive to Dr. Beekman’s office proceeded in two cars. Rossi, with Garcia navigating and JJ riding, led the way, while Reid followed in his rental car with Emma. When they located the correct address, they realized that they were in a relatively new part of Las Vegas, close to the University Medical Center. The doctor’s office itself was located on the third floor of a comparatively new office building and had a waiting room decorated in soothing colors with soft music playing; all designed to put anxious, expectant mothers and fathers at ease. The receptionist was expecting Emma and quickly buzzed the doctor.

When she walked into the waiting room, Dr. Beekman proved to be a pleasant looking older woman, with a ready smile and an air of competency that quickly won everyone’s approval.

“You must be Dr. Porter,” she smiled at Emma, extending her hand. “Can’t mistake that baby bump. Twins, I understand?” She turned to Reid. “And, you must be the lucky father, Dr. Reid. Dr. Norman speaks very highly of you.”

“I would like to start with a private consultation,” she explained to the group after introductions had been completed. “Only Dr. Porter and Dr. Reid, please. I know the rest of you will understand.”

“Of course,” Rossi assured her. “We’ll wait out here.”


	19. Chapter 19

Dr. Beekman led Emma and Reid into a comfortable consultation room containing a couch and several armchairs. After they were sitting side by side on the couch and she in an armchair, she opened the file she had been carrying. 

“As I understand from Dr. Norman, you are approximately five months pregnant with twins and you have been diagnosed as being in the beginning stages of preeclampsia,” she began. “Also, Dr. Norman tells me you have been under a great deal of stress lately.”

“That’s correct,” Emma nodded her agreement. “Although, the major cause of the stress has recently been pretty much eliminated.” She reached over and grasped Reid’s hand.

“We need to know if Emma can safely fly back to Quantico with me,” Reid told the doctor. “As for her date of conception, I can tell you that it is 162 days and between 10 and 18 hours ago. Myself, I would go with the 10 hours since a man’s sperm count - “

He trailed off and looked over at Emma, who had buried her head in her hands and was shaking with laughter.

“I’m doing it again, aren’t I?” he asked, dismayed.

“Don’t worry,” Dr. Beekman assured him. “Dr. Norman told me about your propensity for exact details.”

“I have a copy of Dr. Norman’s file on you,” she continued. “However, I would like to start with a complete examination of my own, including lab work. Then, we can discuss my preliminary findings. And tomorrow, after the lab results come back, we can get together again for a final consultation.”

“That sounds reasonable,” Emma told her, as she pulled a piece of paper out of her purse. “Here is the name and address of the lab where my amniocentesis and my fasting blood sugar samples were sent. I will be glad to sign the paperwork so those results can be released to you.”

“Great! You came prepared,” Dr. Beekman smiled at her as she accepted the paper. “Let’s get started. Oh, and one last thing, Dr. Norman said you are adamant about not knowing the babies sexes?” 

“That’s right,” Emma said. “Let’s just say I like surprises.”

“Let me make a note of that on your file,” Dr. Beekman said as she wrote on the front of the folder. 

The doctor then led the way out into the hallway where a cheerful young woman in a nurse’s smock was waiting. “This is Nurse Roberta. She will be helping you this morning.”

“I hope the urinalysis is at the top of the list,” Emma told the nurse. “Like right now!”

“The restroom is over there,” the nurse pointed. “The cups are in there, just bring it with you into Examination Room 4. I’ll take Father in there with me now.”

Blood samples and preliminary measurements were quickly taken, and then Nurse Roberta handed Emma a hospital gown. “Why don’t you slip into this?” she said. “I’ll let Dr. Beekman know you are ready. Father, why don’t you wait in the hallway?”

Reid followed the nurse into the hallway. “Does everything look alright?” he asked anxiously.

“Well, you will have to speak with the doctor,” she told him. “However, for a first pregnancy, with twins, she does look to be within the expected limits. Why don’t you wait here while I get the doctor?”

Dr. Beekman and Nurse Roberta soon returned. Both smiled at Reid. “Nervous?” the doctor asked. 

“Should I be?” Reid questioned as the doctor knocked on the exam room door and waited for Emma’s response.

“Well, once I finish my exam, we will be listening to the babies’ heartbeats,” the doctor explained as the three entered the exam room. “That’s usually pretty exciting.”

“Heartbeats?” Reid had never even thought about it. “You can do that?”

The doctor, the nurse, and Emma all laughed. “You’ll be amazed,” they told him.

Reid stood by Emma’s head and held her hand while the doctor completed the pelvic exam. “Everything looks great,” she told them. “No problems that I can see.” 

Nurse Roberta than arranged Emma’s gown so that her bulging belly was exposed and the doctor began palpating and examining the area. “The babies seem to be developing normally,” she told them. “Have you been feeling movement?”

“Just small movements,” Emma told her. “Although, they do seem to have been getting stronger within the last day or so.”

“Good,” the doctor said. “The timing is just about right. Be prepared, though, with two babies you are going to take a beating before this is over. Ready to hear the heartbeats?”

Nurse Roberta brought out what looked like an amplifier with several sensors attached. She began running one of the sensors over it Emma’s belly and soon several rhythmic beating noises filled the exam room.

Reid’s mouth fell open. “That’s - that’s - the heartbeats?” he stuttered.

“That’s right,” Dr. Beekman smiled at him. “The problem with twins,” she continued. “Is that it is sometimes difficult to separate the two sets of beats. The amniotic fluid tends to muffle them.”

“Oh.” For once Reid was speechless.

“The beats all seem to be strong and regular,” the doctor told him. “And, if you think that is something, wait until you see what is next.”

Emma raised her head and looked at her. “You’re going to do an ultrasound?” she guessed.

“As soon as we relocate you to our ultrasound room,” the doctor smiled. “I like to see things for myself and, with twins, I want to be certain everything is okay.”

Emma was soon lying on the table in the ultrasound room with the technician running the wand over her belly.

“Look at that!” Reid moved as close to the screen as he could get. “There are two heads, and four arms, and legs, and at this stage of development we should be able to see the secondary sexual characteristics.”

“NO SPENCER!” Emma emphatically told him. “I don’t want to know! And, shouldn’t you move so the doctor can look at the screen?”

Reid looked over his shoulder at the doctor standing patiently waiting. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

“That’s understandable,” Dr. Beekman smiled at him. “This new equipment gives an amazingly detailed picture of the baby. Or, in your case, babies. Let’s see now - I need to take some measurements.”

Emma and Reid watched as she minutely checked the screen and made notes in her file. Then, she nodded to the technician who clicked a button and produced a picture. 

“This is for my records,” she told them. “We’ll be taking another picture for you.”

“A picture?” Reid clearly hadn’t thought about it. “We’ll get a picture?”

“Doctor,” Emma said hesitantly. “I know you probably don’t like to make this a group activity, but there are some people out in the waiting room who have been terribly worried about me. Can they please come in here and see?”

“I know all about it,” Dr. Beekman assured her. “Let me go out and get them.”

Garcia led the way into the ultrasound room with JJ and Rossi close behind. “Oh, we are actually going to see them!” she squealed excitedly.

“Take a look,” the technician said as she positioned the wand. “You’ll be able to see both of the babies.”

“See,” Reid pointed proudly. “The heads are still out of proportion with the bodies, but you can see the limbs and movement and – and - everything,” he trailed off in amazement.

“I remember the first time I saw Henry,” JJ told them. “It certainly brought home the fact that I was really going to have another human being.”

Emma glanced over at Rossi, who was standing behind everyone else. He appeared to have tears in his eyes.

“Dave?” Emma asked softly. “Dave, are you okay? Spencer, hand him a tissue from that box over there.”

Rossi looked down at her, tears beginning to spill from his eyes. “It just caught me off guard,” he admitted. “I haven’t seen an ultrasound in years and the last one wasn’t – pleasant. The resolution is incredible. And, the babies - ”

Garcia caught him in one of her patented hugs. “Isn’t it great? Look at the babies! Reid is really going to be a father!”

Rossi hugged her back and then moved closer to Emma. Kissing her on the forehead he murmured, “Thank you, my dear.”

Emma reached over and took his hand. She placed it against her cheek and smiled at him. “Dave, you’re the one who should be thanked. Without you, I’d still be standing in that parking lot crying.”

The technician started pushing the picture button. “I’m not really supposed to do this,” she said, “But, what the heck? How many pictures do you want?”


	20. Chapter 20

Once the ultrasound pictures had been printed and distributed, the technician was again all business. “Let’s get you cleaned up,” she told Emma as she took a tissue and began wiping up the gel. “Then you can get dressed and the doctor will be waiting in the consultation room to speak with you,” she explained.

When Emma walked back into the consultation room, she found not only Reid and Dr. Beekman, but also Rossi, Garcia, and JJ. The doctor looked at her quizzically. “It’s your decision,” she said.

“Everyone stays!” Emma quickly decided. “They have been with me this far, by now they are my family.”

Reid stood up and made room for Emma to sit next to him in the center of the couch, holding his hand, while Rossi took up his post on her other side. JJ and Garcia settled on matching armchairs and smiled at each other.

“Okay,” the doctor started. “First off, from what I have seen, Dr. Porter and the babies are in no immediate danger. There is some fluctuating high blood pressure and some fluid retention, but that is to be expected. When I get the lab results, I will have more accurate information. However, twins in general do present one specific problem – They tend to be born prematurely. The average pregnancy is 42 weeks. With twins, they generally arrive at around 37 weeks. Obviously, our main objective is to keep them _in utero_ as long as possible. In order to achieve this Dr. Porter needs to be kept calm, she needs to eat properly, and she needs to get a lot of rest.”

“I suggest we get together again tomorrow afternoon. By then, I’ll have the lab reports and I can make some specific recommendations. But, again, there is no immediate danger. Just take it easy!” She looked over at Emma, who nodded in agreement.

“Tomorrow afternoon?” Rossi asked.

“Talk with my receptionist on the way out,” Dr. Beekman told him. “She’ll be able to give you a specific time. Is there anything else?”

“Actually, there is,” Emma told her. “May I speak with you privately?”

“Of course,” the doctor assured her. “Why don’t the rest of you head out to the reception area?”

Reid looked at Emma anxiously.

“Don’t worry,” she reassured him. “It’s nothing earth shattering. Just a question I have.”

After giving her a curious look, Reid followed the others out of the consultation room.


	21. Chapter 21

In the waiting room, Reid spoke with the receptionist and set up a time the next afternoon for the consultation. Emma soon joined them. “We’re all set, tomorrow at 4:00 p.m.,” he told her. “Is everything okay?”

“Better than okay!” Emma smiled at him.

“Great!” JJ was unusually excited. “Now we can get on to the next item on this morning’s agenda!”

“Which is?” Emma asked.

“Well, that depends on how you are feeling,” Rossi told her.

“Fine – Reassured - Relieved – All of the above,” Emma smiled. “I’m just glad I’m through here for the time being.”

“In that case,” Garcia was bubbling over, “Let’ go shopping!”

“Shopping?” Emma stared at her. “For what?”

“For you, of course, Silly” Garcia laughed. “You still need lots and lots of clothes.”

“I can’t afford that!” Emma was adamant. “This doctor visit is covered under my insurance plan as a second opinion. That’s the only way I can afford it. I don’t have the money for more clothes!”

“Whoa – Whoa - Whoa,” Rossi interrupted her. “I think Reid has something he wants to say. Don’t you Reid?’

Reid reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He extracted a credit card and handed it to JJ. “I am putting you in charge,” he told her. “Take Emma shopping and get her whatever she needs. You know from your own experience. She is my wife and I am paying for it.”

He turned to Emma. “From now on, I will be handling the costs of everything you and the babies need,” he stated. “We’re married and it’s my responsibility to see that the three of you are taken care of. Any questions?”

Emma’s mouth fell open as she stared at him. “Not at the moment,” she managed to say.

“Good,” Reid declared. “Now, I understand that last night the two of you found a maternity store you like?”

“Just follow us,” Garcia led the way out the door.

Bringing up the rear, Rossi turned to Reid. “Shouldn’t you have given the credit card to Emma?” he asked quietly. “She is your wife.”

“If I gave the card to Emma, she wouldn’t get anything. You know how she is about spending money,” Reid told him seriously. “And, if I gave it to Garcia, she would buy everything in sight. JJ seems like a safe medium.”

“You aren’t on the job, and you are still practicing your profiling!” Rossi laughed. “Let’s get going!”


	22. Chapter 22

Rossi led the way in his rental car as they drove back to the mall where he had given his talk and done his book signing the previous evening. He hadn’t quite finished putting the car into ‘Park’ when JJ and Garcia erupted from it. The two women then stood in the parking lot, impatiently waiting for Reid to finish parking his car. As soon as he had come to a complete stop, they rushed over and pulled Emma from the vehicle.

“Hey,” she protested. “I feel like I am being kidnapped.”

“That’s Right!” Garcia told her. “We are the kidnappers and you are the victim and we are going to force you to try on and buy all kinds of new clothes - Don’t argue!!!”

Rossi looked at Reid, shrugged his shoulders, and smiled. The two of them then followed the three women as they headed towards the mall entrance.

When they reached the door to the maternity store, JJ looked back at the men. “You don’t have to come in here if you don’t want to,” she told them. “You can wait out here in the mall.”

“That’s a good idea,” Rossi agreed. “I see a bench right over there that seems to have my name on it. What about you, Reid?”

“I – I – I think I’ll join you,” Reid stuttered. “You seem to have had some experience in dealing with this particular situation.”

With the men heading across the mall, Garcia led the charge into the boutique. “We’re back,” she caroled as they burst through the door.

A middle-aged woman walked out from the back of the store, took one look at the group, and broke into a smile. “I recognize that outfit,” she declared. “And you two ladies were right, it looks great on her! That burgundy color is just what she needs.”

“This is Emma,” JJ told her. “And, I think there were two other outfits you put aside for her.”

“I have them hanging in the back room,” the woman confirmed. “But, now that I have seen the mother-to-be, I can tell that the color of the green one isn’t right for her. However, there is another outfit I have in mind that might work. Now, first things first. Let’s get you off your feet, Honey. Come right over here and sit down.”

She led the three women to a small, comfortable looking seating group. After they had sat down, she opened a small refrigerator hidden under an end table. Taking out a bottle of water, she handed it to Emma.

“Making a baby takes a lot of water,” she told her. “And, making two of them leaves you twice as thirsty. I should know, almost 23 years ago I was in your situation. What about the two of you - May I offer you some water also?”

“Please,” JJ responded.

“Me, too,” Garcia added.

“You had twins?” Emma asked curiously. 

“Oh, Yes,” the woman laughed. “And, believe me, it was quite a shock!”

“In more ways than one,” Emma agreed.

“I had a horrible time finding clothes that fit,” the woman continued. “That’s why I always make sure I have outfits on hand for the ‘Expecting Twins’ mother. By the way, my name is Sally.”

“Glad to meet you, Sally,” Emma smiled. “I assume you are the owner?”

“Yes, I own this place,” Sally declared proudly. “Now, let me get those two outfits. Also, we are unpacking another shipment that just came in this morning and I think there may be another outfit or two in there that I can show you. It’s much easier now that I have actually seen you.”

With that, she bustled off towards the back of the store.


	23. Chapter 23

As they settled onto a bench in the mall, Rossi turned to Reid. “How are you doing?” he asked concerned. “You’ve been hit by an awful lot in a very short period of time.”

Reid took a deep breath. “Dave, at this time yesterday I was driving to Bennington to see my maybe wife, worried about whether or not she wanted to divorce me,” he replied. “Twenty-four hours later, not only do I still have my wife, but I also have two babies on the way. It is a lot to absorb and I don’t deal well with change. I’m scared!”

“That’s understandable,” Rossi commiserated with him. “And, at the risk of repeating what I told you yesterday, I hope you realize just how blessed you are? Two healthy babies. That doesn’t happen every day.”

“You know, I had a son,” Rossi continued, his eyes focused off into the distance. “He didn’t make it. I still remember how happy Carolyn and I were. We had been trying for so long, and then it just happened. It seemed like a miracle. Everything was fine for the first few months and then, one day, the doctor told us there might be a problem and sent us for an ultrasound. The equipment wasn’t as advanced as it is today, but we could still see that there were abnormalities. The doctors explained it. All I remember is the solemn faces and big words. The bottom line was that if the child did make it through to the birth process, there still wasn’t much chance of survival. He died in the birth canal. That had a lot to do with the break-up of our marriage.”

Reid’s cell phone rang for a text message. He checked it and held the screen up for Rossi to see the pictures. “I’m being asked to make a decision,” he told him. “I don’t know what to say!”

Rossi smiled as he looked at the pictures. “Tell her she looks great in both outfits and she should buy both of them,” he advised. “Also, tell her to get something dressy. I’m taking everyone out to dinner tonight!”

Reid typed in the message and then turned back to the older man. “I am terrified I’m going to mess things up again,” he confessed. “Emma’s and my past experiences haven’t been all that great.”

“You’re talking to someone with three failed marriages and numerous failed relationships,” Rossi smiled ruefully. “However, one thing I have learned is that everyone needs to feel special. Keep that in mind. Pay attention to Emma. Find out what she likes and dislikes. And don’t just talk – Listen.”

As the two men sat talking, JJ walked slowly out of the maternity shop speaking on her cell phone. After concluding the conversation and closing up her phone, she joined the men. “It sounds like I’m going to have to fly back,” she told them. “Matt is getting a little uptight about all of us being gone at the same time.”

She stopped and turned to stare intently down the mall. Turning back towards the men she asked, “Spence, did you just see what I think I saw?”

Reid had gone completely still and turned deadly pale. He looked at JJ and asked, “Did you think you saw Moira?”

“Oh, No!” Rossi exclaimed. “That can’t be! The two of you go down the mall and check on whomever it is you saw. I’m going into the shop to check on Emma and Penelope!”

As Reid and JJ rushed down the mall, Rossi hurried into the shop and went over to where Garcia was sitting. “Where’s Emma?” he asked, trying to sound calm.

“In the dressing room,” she replied. “Why? Is something wrong?”

“Check on her,” Rossi instructed. “Make some excuse, but make sure she is back there and that she is alright.”

“Okay,” Garcia looked at him curiously, but quickly headed towards the back of the store.

A few minutes later, she returned. “Emma’s back there and she’s just fine. Now, what is going on?”

Rossi took a deep breath. “JJ and Reid thought they saw Moira Donovan lurking in the mall,” he told Garcia.

“What? Isn’t she supposed to be locked up in a hospital for the criminally insane?” Garcia asked. “Did she escape?”

“I need you to find out,” Rossi told her. “Also, I need you to get a picture of Moira that we can show people.”

“I’ll get on it right away,” Garcia declared taking out her cell phone. “Let me call Kevin and see what he can send me.”

A few minutes later, JJ walked back into the shop while Reid remained outside guarding the door. “Whoever it was got away,” she told them. “We’re going to have to keep a look out from now on. What are we going to tell Emma?”

“Whatever we tell her, we tell her after we are done shopping,” Rossi replied. “She deserves to enjoy this. When do you have to leave?”

“JJ’s leaving?” Emma had walked up in time to hear the question. “When?”

“I have a flight this afternoon,” JJ told her. “It seems Matt has decided I’m needed back at Quantico.”

“I knew it was too good to be true!” Emma wailed.

“You still have a little while before you have to go to the airport though, don’t you?” she questioned hopefully.

“I certainly do,” JJ assured her. “Enough time to tell you that that outfit looks great on you and to help you shop for lingerie!”

“What?” Emma gasped. “I have already spent more than enough money. All the outfits and these separates. I can’t run up any more bills!”

“Yes you can,” Rossi assured her. “I’ll wait outside with Reid. Finish up in here and then, I assume, we have to go elsewhere?”

“Just down the mall,” Garcia told him, looking up from her phone. “I’ll go outside with you and finish talking with Kevin while Emma changes. He’s not as good as me, but he should be able to get the information we need. JJ has the credit card, right?”

“No problem!” JJ waved the card in the air. “Emma, why don’t you just have Sallie take the tags off that outfit so you can wear it now?”

“I’ll be glad to do that,” Sallie said when they asked. “Just stand still for a minute and let me cut.”

After she had finished ringing up the sale, Sallie took out a business card and handed it to Emma. “If you ever have any questions about having and raising twins, don’t hesitate to call me,” she told her. “It’s a unique situation and having someone who has been though it to talk to helps.”

Emma took the card and smiled at her. “Thank you,” she replied. “You have no idea how much better this makes me feel.”

Burdened with packages, JJ, Rossi, Emma, and Reid proceeded down the mall. Garcia caught up with them just as they reached the door of the department store Sallie had recommended.

“Waiting on Kevin’s research,” she explained. “It is going to take him a minute or two.”

JJ turned and smiled at Reid and Rossi. “Well, you have a decision to make,” she told them. “Do you want to come in with us and be totally embarrassed or do you want to wait out here?”

Rossi and Reid exchanged looks. “If it is okay with you,” Rossi told her. “I think Reid and I will take your bags and guard them out here. You can keep an eye on everything in there?”

“I can handle it,” JJ assured him. “I have Garcia to help me.”

“What is going on?” Emma asked suspiciously. “Spencer, I can tell you aren’t sharing.”

“After you have finished your shopping,” Rossi told her. “Just spend money and enjoy the experience!”

After JJ and Garcia had taken Emma into the store, Rossi turned to Reid. “I suspect that if it was Moira you saw she won’t be back anytime soon,” he said. “She knows that you saw her and that should scare her off for a while.”

“She’s also probably the one who has been leaving the dead creatures on Emma’s doorstep,” he continued. “I didn’t think they looked like they had been killed by a cat.”

“That fits with what we know of stalkers in general,” Reid agreed. “However, she may purposely want us to see her in hopes that she can scare Emma into leaving me.”

“Would that to work?” Rossi asked seriously.

“I hope not,” Reid told him. “Although, if Emma thought it was necessary to protect the babies – “

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”


	24. Chapter 24

The three women were arguing as they came out of the department store. “What do I need all this lingerie for?” Emma asked JJ. “Nursing bras, nursing gowns, whatever. I really don’t think it is all necessary!”

“Believe me, you will use it all,” JJ told her. “Besides, having clothes that fit you properly makes all the difference. I know it did with me.”

“And, Penelope,” Emma addressed the tech. “I am not in any shape to consider all that sexy, lacy, frilly, stuff right now. Besides, I never wore any of the outfits that you gave me for my honeymoon, so I still have those.”

“Okay, enough,” Rossi was all business. “Garcia – Have you heard anything?”

Garcia glanced at her cell phone, pulled up a screen, and read it. She then looked over at Rossi and Reid. “Not good,” she told them.

“Emma, why don’t you sit down here with JJ?” Rossi suggested, pointing at a nearby bench. “You look like you are getting tired. Penelope, you, Reid and I are going to take a short stroll.”

“What’s going on?” Emma demanded. “Does this have something to do with me?”

“Not to worry,” Rossi assured her. “We just need to discuss some strategy.”

As Emma and JJ continued their discussion of what clothes and accessories Emma and the babies were going to need, Rossi led Garcia and Reid a short distance away. 

“This is not good,” Garcia told them as she sat down on a bench, pulled out her laptop, and opened it. 

“Apparently, Moira managed to convince the doctors that she had been rehabilitated,” Garcia was now reading from the screen she had pulled up. “And, about three months ago, they released her into a community living facility. She got a job and lived there for several weeks, but then about six weeks ago she just disappeared.”

“They believed a psychopath who has proven to be a chronic liar?” Reid demanded angrily. “And, why wasn’t I notified that she had been released? Isn’t that the procedure? And how come they didn’t keep better track of her?” 

“They claim they sent you a letter,” Garcia reported. “However, it wasn’t sent Registered Mail so there is no proof it was ever delivered. And, for what it is worth, when she disappeared they did notify her family and file a missing persons report.”

“Did they put out a BOLO?” Rossi asked. “And why wasn’t The Bureau notified when she went missing? She is a known threat to an FBI Agent.”

“All I know is what Kevin sent me,” Garcia explained patiently. “We have to take it from there.”

“Any known associates?” Reid asked.

“I would assume just Elliot Williams from before,” Garcia replied. “There is no indication that she made any friends in the Virginia facility and apparently no one else is missing from there.”

“We need to get a BOLO issued for this area,” Rossi declared. “And, we need to tell Emma.”

After Garcia had turned off and closed up her laptop, the three walked back to where JJ and Emma were sitting. Rossi exchanged looks with JJ and shook his head.

“Emma, we have to ask you something,” Rossi told her. “Penelope, do you have a picture?”

“Of course,” Garcia replied as she passed him her cell phone.

Rossi held the phone out to Emma. “Do you remember this woman?” he asked.

Emma took the phone from him, looked at the picture, and then looked back at Rossi. “Of course, that’s Moira Donovan,” she told him. “Is she the reason the four of you have been whispering behind my back?”

“Yes,” Rossi replied. “Now, Penelope, do you have the other picture?”

“Of course,” Garcia took the phone back and called up a second picture. “Here you go.”

“What about him?” Rossi asked as Garcia passed the phone to Emma.

“That’s Elliot Williams,” Emma identified the man. “He’s a patient at Bennington. What is all this about?”

“It seems that Moira was moved to an outpatient group home and then, about six weeks ago, she disappeared,” Rossi explained. “A little while ago, Reid and JJ thought they saw her lurking here in the mall. Also, we suspect that she was paired up with Elliot Williams last year when you and Reid were abducted and dumped in the middle of the desert. She may again be using him to help stalk the two of you.”

“Elliot does have limited privileges to leave the grounds,” Emma said thoughtfully. “But, not that often and not for long periods of time. You know, I just thought of something. Do you have a picture of Moira from the back?”

“Sorry, no,” Garcia told her. “Why?”

“I just have a feeling,” Emma replied. “Like subconsciously I have seen her recently, but not from the front where I would have recognized her.”

“Where?” Reid questioned, concerned.

“At work – Maybe?” Emma told him.

“Bennington?” Rossi asked. He took out his cell phone. “Let me make a phone call.”


	25. Chapter 25

“Dr. Norman?” Rossi was speaking into his cell phone. “It’s David Rossi and I have a few questions for you.” Everyone watched his back as he moved out of hearing range.

After a short conversation, Rossi rejoined them. “According to what I can find out from their Human Resources Department, it appears that Moira has been working at Bennington off and on as casual labor for the past 18 months using the name Mary Lawrence,” he reported. “She did have all the proper identification in that name when she was originally hired. Most recently, about five weeks ago, she returned from an extended leave of absence and they reassigned her. Her current job is in the kitchen and while she did deliver meals to the floors, there is no indication that she ever came near either Dr. Diana or Emma. She also didn’t show up for work today.”

He held out his cell phone so everyone could see the picture on it. “Her work ID badge,” he explained.

“That’s Moira,” Emma confirmed as Reid nodded his head in agreement.

“Home address?” Garcia had her laptop out and was opening it.

“Fake,” Rossi told her. “Bennington already asked the police to do a welfare check on her earlier today and the address she gave doesn’t exist.”

“She works at Bennington?” Reid demanded furiously. “Where – How long – We have to get out there!”

“Spence, calm down,” JJ told him. 

She turned to Emma. “Do you remember her coming anywhere near you?” she asked.

“Like I said, I’m not really sure I saw her,” Emma replied. “Do you honestly think she is stalking me? Should I be worried about her?”

“At this time, we have no way of knowing whether or not she is dangerous,” Rossi explained. “However, now that she knows we have seen her, she will probably keep her distance. We just have to be vigilant.”

“What about Elliot Williams?” Garcia asked. “Is he accounted for?”

“Dr. Norman is checking,” Rossi replied. “And, he will be getting back to me.”

“I want to go home!” Emma suddenly announced as she stood up. “I’m tired and I don’t want to think about this. Spencer?”

“Don’t worry,” Reid replied, putting his arm protectively around her. “I’ll take you home and we can talk this over when we get there.”

“What about lunch?” Garcia asked. “We do have time to eat before JJ has to fly out.”

“There are some leftovers from last night at my place,” Emma told her. “And, if I remember right, there are also some rolls left from this morning. I’ll be well fed. If Spencer wants to join you after he drops me off, that’s fine with me.”

“No, I’m staying with you,” Reid declared. “I am not going to leave you unprotected.”

“Oh, JJ,” Emma gave her friend a hug. “Thanks for everything. You have no idea how much I appreciate your leaving Will and Henry to come out here.”

“I couldn’t stay in Quantico knowing you might be in danger,” JJ replied. “I’ll be seeing you in a couple of days?”

“Once I find out what the doctor has to say, I’ll let you know,” Emma told her. “Have a safe trip!”


	26. Chapter 26

Rossi quickly sorted out everyone’s afternoon schedule. He, JJ, and Garcia were going to eat lunch, after which they would drop JJ at the airport. Garcia would then accompany him to an afternoon reading and book signing scheduled at a bookstore near the university. Reid would be taking Emma back to her apartment so she could eat lunch and get some rest. Later in the evening, they would all meet for dinner with the local representative from Rossi’s publisher.

As he pulled into her apartment building’s parking lot Reid turned to Emma. “I’m sorry about Moira. I had no idea she would be stalking us again,” he apologized.

“Spencer, it’s not your fault,” Emma replied. “You have no control over what she does. She makes her own decisions.”

As Reid walked around the car to help Emma get out, his cell phone rang.

“Rossi?” he answered it after first checking the screen. He then listened for a few minutes.

“Okay, keep us informed,” he told the other agent. “Thanks.”

He turned back to Emma and helped her out of the car. “Let’s get all these packages gathered up and inside,” he suggested. “Then we can get you fed and we can talk.”

When they got inside Emma’s apartment, she headed straight for the couch and sank down onto it while Reid piled the packages wherever he could find space in the living room.

“That was Rossi on the phone just now,” he told Emma as he sat down next to her. “And, it seems that Elliot Williams is missing from Bennington. There is now a BOLO out for both him and Moira. Are you okay? You look kind of pale.”

“I’m just tired,” Emma brushed it off. “However, if you don’t mind, I think I’ll sit here for a minute or two before I start on lunch.”

“ **I** am making lunch,” Reid announced decisively. “Just tell me what you have in mind.”

Reid quickly had everything assembled and microwaved. However, when it came time to come to the table, Emma just sighed.

“Spencer, I really hate to do this,” she began. “But look at the distance between here and there. I just can’t do it. Would you mind – ?“

“Of course not, you’re tired. You’ve had a rough morning,” Reid told her. “Let me organize this and bring it over there for you.”

They enjoyed a quiet lunch for two on the couch and Reid even moved the flower arrangement from the previous evening onto the coffee table for them to enjoy as they ate. Afterwards, he loaded the dirty dishes into the dishwasher and, after double-checking the locks on the door, came back and settled back down on the couch next to Emma.

“There are some things we need to discuss,” he began. “What are you doing?”

Emma had her hand up and was teasing his earlobe. “Just checking something,” she replied idly. “You were saying?” She leaned in closer to him.

“With your tongue?” Reid asked, flustered.

“Of course with my tongue,” Emma was murmuring into his ear as she rang her tongue lightly down his jaw. “Any reactions developing? I find it interesting how different parts of the body are all connected to ultimately produce a single response.”

Reid felt his body reacting to Emma’s nearness and her invasion of his ear. He could smell the lingering scent from the previous evening’s bubble bath, and now her other hand was busy tickling his other earlobe.

“You shouldn’t be doing this,” he protested. “Not in your – condition.”

“Actually, I should be doing this,” Emma responded. “That is what I stayed behind in the doctor’s office to discuss. According to her, a ‘healthy sexual appetite’ is a good thing at this stage. It means that all my systems are still functioning normally. She said that there should be no problem as long as we didn’t do anything overtly dangerous. She did, however, suggest that we enjoy ourselves now because it won’t be too long before sex becomes too uncomfortable for me.”

Reid was concentrating on deep breathing in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent an erection. He could feel the heat where Emma had placed her hand over the bulge in pants. “You mean, she agreed with you?”

“Oh, yes,” Emma purred into his ear. “Now, Spencer, do you want to go into the bedroom while you can still walk, or do you want me to pull off all your clothes here on the couch? I should warn you, though, that might get a little drafty.”

“Are you sure it’s okay?” Reid wanted to verify that.

“Would I lie about something like that?” Emma asked as she lifted herself off the couch. She held out her hand to Reid, who hesitated for a moment before taking it and following her into the bedroom.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

After Emma had fallen asleep, exhausted, Reid lay watching her. Slowly, carefully, he put his hand on her stomach and waited. Soon, he felt the slight, fluttering movement of their children. He smiled.

Moving stealthily, he got off the bed. Emma rolled over and opened an eye. “If you will look, in one of the bags from the boutique there is a book on twin pregnancy,” she told him. “Also, there are some other books in the bookcase.” Effortlessly, she fell back to sleep.

After cleaning himself up and getting dressed, Reid wandered into the kitchen. He looked around and remembered all the times Emma had cooked for him, done his laundry, and cleaned up his apartment. He decided it was his turn.

When Emma woke up, she discovered that the kitchen had been straightened, the dishwasher had been run and emptied, and the flower arrangement from the previous night had been given fresh water. Even the packages from the morning’s shopping trip had been neatly arranged. Reid was sitting on the couch reading one of her pregnancy books.

Emma sat down next to him and yawned. “Boy, was I tired,” she told him. “You cleaned up in here – Thanks!”

“According to this book on twin pregnancy, you are going to experience tiredness sooner than with a single fetus pregnancy,” he told her knowledgeably. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I just had a nap!” Emma laughed. “Now, I assume you have spoken with Garcia and Rossi. What’s on the agenda for this evening?”

“We’re meeting Rossi, Garcia, and Rossi’s agent’s rep for dinner,” Reid told her. “And, according to Garcia, you have several outfits in these bags to choose from.”

“With all the things JJ insisted I need, I’m sure I’ll find something appropriate,” Emma said. “What about you? I never asked what you brought in the way of clothes, or even why you came to Las Vegas.”

Reid stared down at his hands. “If I tell you, you’re going to get mad,” he worried.

“Spencer, I promise you that as long as you are honest, I won’t get mad,” Emma told him. “How can I be mad? Whatever it was that brought you to Vegas, you arrived just when I needed you. I can’t get mad about that!”

“I don’t know,” Reid started.

“Try me,” Emma said. “If I get upset, you can remind me of what I just said – Honest!”

Reid took a deep breath. “Okay – I came because my father called me.”

“Your father called you - About what?”

“He said he still has our annulment papers on his desk and he wanted to know if he should destroy them or if we wanted to keep them as a kind of souvenir. I told him I needed to talk to you. I assume you never told him that we weren’t together.”

Emma looked at him as he sat there with his head hanging down. “Oh My Gosh, Spencer. You actually came here expecting me to tell you that I wanted an annulment?” she exclaimed. “And, as for as my telling your father, after he was so thrilled about our vow renewal, I didn’t have the heart to tell him the truth. I sent him periodic e-mails and text messages, but I let him believe I was with you in Quantico. It would break his heart if he knew the truth. You know, we really need to get with him, tell him the truth, and let him know about the babies.”

“You’re right,” Reid agreed with her. “Let me think about the best way to handle it.”

“That’s all I can ask for. Now, when and where is dinner?”


	27. Chapter 27

It was early evening when Reid and Emma walked into the lobby of the upscale restaurant Rossi had named. When they looked around the small room, they immediately noticed a group of well-dressed people standing by the maître de’s desk. It took them a moment to realize that it was a dressed-up Rossi, accompanied by Garcia and two other women. When Rossi saw them, he smiled and waved them over. As they got closer, his smile got even wider as he announced, “Look who turned up at my book signing!”

“Alex, what are you doing here?” Emma squealed as she recognized the linguist. “How did you ever convince Matt to let you come?”

Blake reached over to hug Emma. Then, standing back, she took a good look and then smiled at the pregnant woman. “JJ sent us some pictures, but they don’t do you justice,” she remarked. “You and Spencer have got to be so excited!”

“Shocked is more like it,” Emma told her. “Did you say JJ sent pictures? Like, on the Internet?”

“Not like that,” Blake quickly assured her. “She just texted them to the team so they would know what to expect when you get back.”

“I assume they are the ones she took of me trying on different outfits,” Emma said. “Are you sure they aren’t going to end up on the Internet somewhere? Penelope!!!”

“I can keep an eye out,” Garcia assured her. “But once they are out there – “

“I’m sure they aren’t going anywhere,” Blake opinioned. “However, Morgan did say something about sending them on to his mother?”

“Fran really likes Reid,” Garcia explained. “When she visits, she treats him like he’s her second son.”

Rossi smiled at the comment and then gestured towards the third woman standing with him. “Emma and Reid, I would like you to meet Lindsey Louis. She’s the local rep for my publisher and the one who arranged for the readings and signings that brought me out here.”

Lindsey smiled at them. “Dave has been telling me all about you,” she said. “Twins I believe?”

“Yes,” Emma agreed. “It promises to be quite an adventure!”

The maître de walked over to the group. “Your table is ready,” he told them. “If you will follow Jason, he will seat you.” 

When the group arrived at their table, located in a prime positon in front of the windows, a short discussion ensued concerning the seating arrangement. Rossi ended up sitting between Lindsey and Garcia, while Reid was seated between Emma and Blake. Then, the question of ordering a bottle of wine came up.

“A bottle of champagne,” Lindsey told the wine steward. Turning to the others she commented, “I want to toast having completed another successful book signing.”

“And, a glass of ginger ale,” Reid instructed her. 

“Spencer, one glass of champagne isn’t going to cause any problems,” Emma protested. “It’s not like I’m going to spend the whole night drinking.”

“The alcohol content of champagne can’t be that high, is it?” Garcia asked. 

“It varies from eight to fourteen percent,” Reid said. “The majority of it falls somewhere in the middle range of eleven to thirteen percent.”

“Your call,” Rossi told Emma.

“One glass,” Emma decided. “Although, if past history is any indication, I probably won’t finish it. I’m not much of a drinker.”

Reid opened his mouth to speak, and then wisely thought better of it.

“And, Dave, you must select the wine to go with dinner,” Lindsey continued, patting his arm.

After carefully studying the wine list and discussing it with the wine steward, Rossi pointed at a selection.

“Excellent choice, Sir,” the wine steward commented.

“I will be having the ginger ale with dinner,” Emma told everyone, with a special smile at Reid. Under the table, out of everyone’s sight, she picked up his hand and stroked it lightly down the center, just once.

Reid gave a slight shiver and looked at her in astonishment as he felt his body begin to react. He had already had noticed a slight hardening when they left the apartment, left over, he assumed, from the afternoon’s activities. However, this small move of Emma’s threatened to bring it to a complete erection. He really had no idea what to do.

The champagne quickly arrived and, after the wine steward popped the cork, he proceeded to pour it into glasses, which were then handed around to everyone at the table. Reid gratefully accepted a glass and wrapped his hand around it, hoping the cold would help his situation.

After Lindsey had made sure everyone had a glass, she held her glass up in a toast. “To my favorite author and another successful book signing,” she announced proudly.

“And, to many more,” Blake contributed.

As everyone sipped the champagne and commented on its bubbles and flavor, Rossi glanced out the window. He blinked his eyes, looked again, and then spoke softly.

“Reid,” he said. “Don’t make any sudden moves, but glance over your left shoulder and out the window. Blake, look over your right shoulder. Do either of you see something or someone lurking out there between the bushes?”

Reid and Blake slowly turned their heads. To someone outside, it would look like they were turning towards each other to converse. 

“I think I see something,” Blake observed. “It looks like – “

“Oh No!” Reid blurted out. “The height is right, and the hair color. We need to get out there – Now!”

“Take it easy,” Rossi cautioned him. “Whoever it is, we don’t want to alarm them. Blake, if you will stay here and keep an eye out for any additional movement in the area? Watch to see if she seems to have an accomplice and call me on my cell if you see anything. Reid, I am going to get up slowly and walk away from the table and out the front door. You count to 50 and then follow me. Any questions?”

I’m all set,” Blake assured him.

“Reid?” Rossi questioned.

“Okay,” Reid affirmed.

“What?” Lindsey asked, confused.

“Reid and Emma have a stalker,” Garcia explained matter-of-factly. “And, it appears she may be spying on us from outside between the bushes.”

Rossi rose and left the table headed for the restaurant’s front door. Once outside, he paused, waiting for Reid to join him.

“You didn’t count to 50,” he commented 30 seconds later when Reid came through the door.

“I did it in binary code,” Reid replied. “Now, let’s do this!”

As they quickly moved around the building and toward the back, they heard a car start up, and then saw the outline of taillights as it left the parking lot. 

“My guess is that we missed whoever that was,” Rossi commented. A quick search of the area proved him right.

As Rossi and Reid walked back through the front door of the restaurant, Rossi pointedly looked at Reid’s crotch and commented, “You might want to do something about that before you get back to our table.”

“Oh, darn, Rossi,” Reid moaned. “I’m not an adolescent anymore, but I just can’t seem to get it under control. I don’t know what to do!”

“You might have outgrown puberty, but some things never change,” Rossi smiled at him. “Consider yourself lucky that you feel that way about your wife. I know some men who would envy you.”

He reached into his pocket and took out a blue velvet jeweler’s box, which he handed to Reid. “Now, go into the restroom and solve your problem. I’ll make an excuse for you. When you get back to the table, give this to Emma,” he instructed him.

“What is this?” Reid asked curiously.

“Just a little something to make her feel special.”


	28. Chapter 28

It took Reid longer than he had anticipated to resolve his problem. As he leaned against the wall of the restroom stall, breathing heavily, he heard the door to the men’s room open and two men walked in.

“Did you get a look at that old guy sitting next to the windows?” #1 asked. “He has four good looking women with him!”

“Must have money,” #2 commented. “I am sure he didn’t get all those hot chicks on personality alone.”

“I’d take the blond sitting next to him any day,” #1 volunteered. 

“Me, I’ll take the long haired one sitting next to her,” was #2’s choice. “Even pregnant she looks hot!”

The two men continued discussing Rossi and the four women as they finished up in the restroom.

Reid smiled to himself as he began cleaning himself up. After the two had left, he came out of the stall, thoroughly washed his hands, and hurried back to the table.

“There you are!” Emma smiled at him as he sat down next to her. She gestured toward the place setting in front of him. “I ordered your appetizer for you. If you don’t like it, I’ll trade with you.”

“Yeah, right,” Garcia laughed. “You already ate half of his, as well as most of your own.”

“Quality control,” Emma declared tossing her head. “I had to make sure it was good enough for my husband!”

Reid looked over at Rossi, who nodded encouragingly. He then pulled the jewelers box out of his pocket and handed it to Emma, who hesitated a moment before taking it.

“I just hope this is good enough for my wife,” he told her.

Emma looked at the box. “I know where this came from,” she told him, surprised. “Only one jeweler in Vegas uses boxes like this.”

She opened the box and gasped at the diamond and white gold pendent inside. “Oh my gosh, Spencer, this is beautiful! Thank You!” She leaned over and gave him a lingering kiss on the lips.

Emma held the open box up to show everyone. “That is gorgeous!” Blake exclaimed. 

“Quite the piece,” Lindsey contributed.

“Let me put it on you,” Garcia volunteered. “Guys aren’t good at this,” she commented as she opened the clasp and then fastened it around Emma’s neck. That was when Reid noticed that Garcia was wearing a pendent very similar in style to Emma’s, and wondered.

“Alex, you never said how you managed to end up in Vegas,” Emma reminded Blake, after everyone had again admired her new pendent.

Blake smirked. “It wasn’t that difficult,” she told her. “It just took some minor maneuvering. When I realized that Cruz was determined to order JJ back to Quantico, I made a couple of phone calls. As you probably remember, I have an open invitation to lecture at the university here. It didn’t take long, and I had a definite invitation from their Linguistics Department, as well as another from the Nevada State Police requesting a consult. Cruz then got a call from his supervisor telling him that, as a public relations move, I was going to Las Vegas. And, here I am!”

“I love it!” Garcia cheered.

“Great move!” Rossi added.

Lindsey looked around the table. “Does that mean that another champagne toast is in order?” she asked hopefully.


	29. Chapter 29

Dinner proceeded smoothly after Rossi had once again assured everyone (Lindsey in particular) that he and Reid had succeeded in scaring off the stalker and that they most likely wouldn’t be bothered by her again that evening. 

“Oh, Dave,” Lindsey cooed. “This evening has turned out to be even more exciting than I had ever imagined. Do things like this happen often? You must tell me more about all your hair-raising adventures.”

The only difficulty arose when both Reid and Rossi attempted to monitor what Emma was eating. She again resolved the problem by repeating her threat to walk home if they didn’t quit bothering her. Garcia and Blake exchanged smirks as the men backed down in defeat.

Shortly after everyone had finished desert, Blake called the evening to an end by declaring that she absolutely had to get back to her hotel room to go over her lecture notes for the next morning. Over Lindsey’s protests that they needed an after-dinner drink, Rossi and Garcia both insisted on escorting her. Emma then declared that as much as she hated to be a party pooper, she was getting tired and would like to go home. Reid refused to allow her to leave by herself and, to Lindsey’s dismay, the dinner party broke up and everyone headed out of the restaurant.

Out in the parking lot, the BAU members held a quick conference. “What time is your lecture?” Emma asked.

“Ten o’clock,” Blake responded. “In the main lecture hall of the Fine Arts Building.”

“Ten o’clock,” Emma repeated. “We’ll be there!”

“With bells on,” Rossi assured her, smiling at Garcia.

Garcia gave Emma a hug. “Get a good night’s sleep,” she instructed her. “With any luck, by tomorrow evening you’ll be headed back to Quantico with us.”

Emma smiled at the tech. “I’ll have to take that sleep under consideration,” she told her coyly as she glanced over at a blushing Reid.

On the drive back to her apartment, Emma reached over, placed her hand on Reid’s thigh, and began lightly tickling him. He glanced at her and tried to move his leg but realized that if he moved it, he wouldn’t be able to drive the car. By the time they reached the apartment’s parking lot, he was again getting painfully aroused.

After parking the car, Reid walked around to Emma’s door to help her out. At the height she was sitting, her eyes were level with his groin.

“You seem to have a slight problem,” she smirked as he helped her up. “Can you make it inside?”

“Woman!” Reid exploded. “Do you know what you are doing to me?”

“I certainly hope so,” Emma responded sweetly as she linked her arm with his.

Together, they walked into the apartment building, down the hallway, and into Emma’s apartment. 

“Would you like to sit down?” Emma inquired innocently, as she dropped onto the couch.

Reid had no choice but to follow suit. After thinking about it for a minute, he turned to her. “Let me ask you something,” he began. 

He never finished the sentence as Emma began putting her hand down the front of his trousers. As she slid it further and further down, he tried to bat her away, but gave up as he felt himself becoming harder and harder. He began concentrating on taking deep breaths in an effort to keep himself under control. Just as she was beginning to caress him, he felt himself lose control entirely. 

“Oh, Darn!” he exclaimed. “When I’m with you keep reacting as if I were an uncontrollable adolescent!”

“And what is so bad about that?” Emma questioned.

“It’s embarrassing, that’s what! Do you know what almost happened at dinner tonight? Rossi had to send me to the men’s room!”

“Oh Dear!” Emma murmured. “Well, the bright side of this is that it opens up the opportunity to experiment with some other things I have been wanting to try.” 

Reid looked at her. “I need to ask you something,” he began again.

“Okay?” Emma replied.

“I am the only man you have ever been with, right?” he asked.

“Yes,” Emma affirmed.

“Then, how come you know all these – things?” he was cautiously curious.

Emma laughed. “Sweetheart,” she said. “I was a very young, very naïve, 14 year old girl when my mother told me I was getting married. I kind of knew the biology involved, but was totally ignorant of anything else. Naturally, I did what any good geek would do. I went to the public library and looked at some books. Then, I went to a bookstore and looked at some more books, and then even more books. And, more recently, I studied the book Rossi sent us as a wedding present. By the time we finally decided to make it ‘real’ I had a list a mile long of things I want to try. Believe me, we haven’t even started to make a dent it in!”

“A mile long??” Reid sounded scared.

“Yes, but we don’t have to tackle everything right now,” Emma assured him. “How about if we just take another bubble bath?”

Reid thought quickly. A bubble bath sounded good. He knew what to expect with a bubble bath. “Oh Yes – That sounds great,” he readily agreed.

Outside, in the apartment building’s parking lot, Moira Donovan slammed her fist into the steering wheel of her car. ‘Her’ Spencer was in there with ‘That Woman’ doing who knows what. She had seen with her own eyes what was going on in the parking lot. That wasn’t right – Spencer belonged to her and only her. And, as for the babies – By rights, they should be hers too!


	30. Chapter 30

The next morning Reid again awoke before Emma. After checking to make sure that she was still sleeping, he quietly slipped out of bed and headed to the kitchen to make her a breakfast that met his standards of being healthy. The decaffeinated coffee was brewing and he was cracking eggs into a bowl when he heard a moan coming from the bedroom. Concerned, he hurried to see what the problem was.

When he got into the bedroom, he found Emma sitting on the edge of the bed, wearing one of her new nightgowns and looking miserably uncomfortable.

She looked up at him. “I swear, each of your kids gained at least 10 lbs overnight,” she accused him. “I feel like I can hardly move! This is awful!”

“Actually, that is physically impossible,” Reid began telling her, and then hesitated, uncertain of whether he should continue.

“I don’t care!” Emma was emphatic. “This is not good! Every bone in my entire body aches – Including several I didn’t even know I had! I have places to go, people to see, and things to do!”

“I don’t think so,” Reid observed sagely. “This was bound to happen, you know. The book on twin pregnancies says - ”

“Bathroom,” Emma interrupted him. “Excuse me.” She clumsily got up off the bed and hurried towards the bathroom door.

When she came out of the bathroom, wrapped in her robe, Reid had their breakfast ready and waiting on the kitchen table. “Orange juice,” he handed her a glass. “You need the folic acid. Also, your vitamin and calcium pills. Where are they?”

Emma just stared at him. “Oh – Oh! I’m doing it again, aren’t I?” he questioned worriedly.

“Sweetheart, it’s not you, it’s me,” Emma sighed as she sat down at the table. “I’m not used to having someone worry about me and take care of me. It’s never happened before. I’m going to have to adjust to it and that is going to take some time - Okay?”

“Okay,” Reid agreed. “And, in the meantime, I will try to back off.”

“As far as my pills are concerned,” Emma continued. “I take them after I eat breakfast and brush my teeth. I don’t like taking pills on an empty stomach, and as long as I already have the water running to brush my teeth, I may as well take them then. Does that meet with your approval?”

“Makes sense,” Reid agreed. “Now, how are you feeling?”

“Better,” Emma told him as she reached for her fork. “And, once I finish breakfast, get dressed, and get moving, I’m sure that will improve. By the time we have to leave for Blake’s lecture, I’ll probably be back to what passes for normal these days.”

“Actually, I wanted to do some shopping, first,” Reid said hesitantly.

“Shopping? After yesterday?” Emma protested. “Spencer, I’ve already spent more in one day than I have spent in my entire lifetime. I can’t spend more!!”

“We need to get you a suitcase,” Reid stated firmly. 

“I already have a suitcase, remember?” Emma reminded him. “The pink one I bring when I come to visit you.”

“That’s not big enough,” Reid argued.

“It’s just the right size,” she countered. “It fits into the overhead bin and, along with my backpack, I have room for everything I need.”

“Emma,” Reid was getting visibly upset with her. “You aren’t coming for a visit, remember? You are moving to Quantico to live with me. You need a bigger suitcase!”

Emma looked at him, wide eyed. “Are you sure about this, Spencer? You really want me moving to Quantico to live with you?” she questioned.

“I am going to get you to Quantico to live with me even if I have to personally drive you the entire 2,424.47 miles,” he told her. “That would normally take 36 hrs, 40 min, with minimal stops, but if we have to stop every hour on the hour for a bathroom break, we’ll do it. You are my wife and I want you living with me in Quantico!”

He was totally unprepared for it when Emma broke down in tears.


	31. Chapter 31

“Okay,” Emma wiped the tears from her eyes and looked over at Reid. “If I’m going to be leaving here, one way or the other, there are some things I need to handle before I go. First off, I need to talk with Dr. Norman about finishing up the work I am doing with him.”

“You’re not going back to work!” Reid was adamant. “I don’t want to take the chance that you’ll get sick again!”

“Not back to work – Just work,” Emma assured him. “There is a paper I’m editing for him. It’s on my laptop and I can finish editing it sitting in bed wearing my nightgown, if that’s what you want. Then, after I’m done with it, I can e-mail it to him. Also, there is a second paper we are working on. I need to use the library to do some research for it, but I can do that on a Saturday or Sunday at the Midtown University library. That way you can come with me and supervise, if you feel that is necessary. All my patient files are caught up and in order. I just need to leave some general notes for whoever is going to be taking them over.”

“That sounds reasonable,” Reid agreed with her. “What else?”

“Your mother,” Emma smiled at him. “She probably has a pretty good idea of what has been going on but we need to tell her in person. After we speak with Dr. Norman, we can go up and speak with her. And, if she’s having a good day, we can take her out to lunch.”

“She goes out to lunch?” Reid was stunned. He had never considered the possibility.

“Of course,” Emma smiled at his discomfort. “I’ve taken her out several times. As long as it is at a quiet restaurant without a lot of noise and confusion, there’s no problem. She enjoys getting dressed up and going out to eat some place different.”

“That’s it?” Reid asked hopefully.

“Not exactly,” Emma continued. “There’s your father.”

“My father?” Reid repeated.

“Yes, he needs to know what has been going on,” Emma stated. “All this time he has been under the impression I’ve been in Quantico with you and he deserves to know the truth. Also, we need to personally tell him he is going to be a grandfather. He doesn’t need to find that out by accident.”

“Okay, what do you suggest?” Reid was willing to accede to Emma’s requests.

“What about having him meet us for lunch?” Emma suggested. “He probably knows a restaurant that is close to Bennington and is relatively quiet.”

“If you want,” Reid agreed. “He should be in his office by now, I’ll call him.”

“Great!” Emma rewarded him with a smile. “Now that we have finished eating, I’ll get dressed while you handle that. We have a lot to get done now that I am up and moving!”

Emma came out of the bedroom, dressed and ready to leave, just in time to hear Reid say, “And, by the way, Dad, Emma is pregnant.”

After a brief pause, he replied, “Yes, you are going to be a Grandfather.” He was grinning as he held the phone well away from his ear.


	32. Chapter 32

After finding and purchasing a set of luggage which Emma thought was far too extensive, and which Reid thought wasn’t extensive enough, they headed over to the university. Blake’s lecture was scheduled for 10:00 a.m. and, even though they arrived early, Rossi and Garcia were already there, waiting in the hallway outside the door to the lecture hall.

“Looking good!” Garcia greeted them cheerfully. “Have a good evening?” she looked at them expectantly.

Reid realized that she was again wearing the white gold and diamond pendant he had noticed the night before.

“Probably not as good as you,” Emma countered. “Do I need to ask what you and Dave did after we left you?”

Penelope had the grace to blush while Rossi suddenly found something outside the nearest window that he needed to study.

“What??” Reid asked, stunned.

“I’ll explain it to you later,” Emma stage whispered to him. She turned to Garcia, “Ladies Room?” she suggested.

Once the door closed behind them, Emma turned to Garcia. “Okay, Penelope, Spill!!” she demanded.

“Well,” Garcia’s smile was dazzling. “Let’s just say it went well.”

“Well?” Emma demanded. “Girl, you are positively glowing! That’s definitely better than ‘Well’.”

“We’ll see where it goes from here,” Garcia was elusive. “But, he is definitely ‘As Advertised’.”

The two women giggled.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.**

Blake’s lecture generated extensive discussion amongst the students and faculty. After she had addressed all their questions and comments, she met with the team for a quick conference.

“I’m scheduled to spend the rest of the morning with the members of the Linguistics Department,” she explained. “And, after they take me to lunch, I’ll be speaking to an advanced level class. I’ll wind up the day consulting with several detectives from the Nevada State Police who are coming over here to meet with me concerning some cases they think I can help them with.”

“You’ll be done by four?” Rossi worried. “Emma has a doctor’s appointment then and we all need to be there. If you’ll give me a call, I’ll swing by and pick you up.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Blake waved her cell phone in the air. “I have you on speed dial!”

As Blake hurried off down the hallway to join her hosts, Emma spoke up. “As for Spencer and me, we’re going to Bennington to visit with Dr. Norman and Dr. Diana,” she told Rossi and Garcia. “Afterwards, if she is having a good day, we are going to take Dr. Diana with us to meet Dad for lunch. He’s made reservations for us at some restaurant he swears by.”

“Well, Kitten,” Rossi smiled fondly at Garcia. “I guess that leave us alone for lunch.”

“Your appointment with Dr. Beekman?” Garcia again reminded Emma.

“Four o’clock,” she confirmed. “Do you want to meet us at her office?”

“Works for me!” Rossi was smiling as he held out his hand to Garcia. “Ready Kitten?”


	33. Chapter 33

Emma’s meeting with Dr. Norman went smoothly and he readily agreed to her proposal for completing their papers.

“That should be no problem,” he agreed. “We’ll be able get the first paper back to the editor in plenty of time. And, as for the second paper, there is no rush. Work on it as you have the time and the energy.”

“As for your patient files, I know they are always all caught up so there shouldn’t be any problem there. You always make such complete notes that whoever takes over your patient load should be able to handle everything.”

“Thank you so much, Dr. Norman,” Emma told him gratefully. “I don’t know how to begin to thank you for everything you have done for me over the past several years.”

“No need,” Dr. Norman assured her. “I have gotten more back than you will ever know. Now, there is one more thing.” He hesitated for a moment. “I haven’t told anyone this yet,” he continued. “So, please, don’t go around talking about it. But, I plan on announcing my retirement shortly. I am going to give the hospital administrators six months warning so they will have plenty of time to find my replacement.”

“Retire - Are you sure?” Emma asked. “What will you do with yourself all day?”

“Oh, Yes, I’m sure,” the psychiatrist replied. “It is time for me to move aside and make room for some new blood around here. And, as for what I will be doing – I get a lot of requests for consults, so I’ll still have plenty of work to keep me busy. Don’t worry about me.”

“I would hope that some of that consulting would bring you to Quantico?” Emma looked at the doctor hopefully.

“I’ll see what I can arrange,” he promised her.

“And, there is another item I need to address before you leave.” Dr. Norman gave the couple a stern look. “I need both your assurances that from now on you are going to face all your problems together and talk them through. No more running off and disappearing!”

“I promise,” Emma told him as she walked around the desk to give him a hug. “I have definitely learned my lesson!”

“As have I,” Reid added as he reached over to shake the man’s hand.

“Let’s not get overly dramatic,” the psychiatrist told them gruffly. “Dr. Reid - Dr. Porter, I believe your mother is waiting for you.”

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

When they got to her room, Dr. Diana was dressed and awaiting their arrival.

“So, are you two finally going to tell me what is going on?” she greeted them. “I can certainly guess, but I want to hear it from the two of you personally.” She tried but failed to glare at them.

Emma blushed and Reid stammered – “Um – m – m ”

“I’m pregnant?” Emma finally managed to get out.

“You’re going to be a grandmother,” Reid contributed.

“Is that all?” Dr. Diana demanded with a half-smile.

“It’s twins?” Emma added.

“Good!” was the reply. “”Now that that is all out in the open, let’s go have lunch with Will and you can fill both of us in on all the details at the same time.”

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

When Reid drove into the parking lot of the restaurant his father had chosen, Dr. Diana looked around and exclaimed. “I know this place! Will and I used to come here when we were dating. And, also, for several years afterwards. I didn’t know it was still open.”

“It appears to be doing a good lunch business,” Emma observed as Reid found an empty parking space and pulled into it.

“We are meeting my father, Will Reid,” Reid told the man at the reception desk in the restaurant’s lobby.

“Of course - He has already arrived,” the man replied. “However,” he discretely looked at Emma. “I would ask you to wait a minute. I currently have him in a booth and I believe you will be more comfortable at a table.”

“Thank you,” Emma told him with a smile.

“Emma, Spencer, and Diana, too!” Will Reid’s voice floated across the restaurant as he walked out of the main room and came to a stop in front of the trio.

“Oh My Gosh!” he looked at Emma. “How far along are you and why didn’t anyone tell me?”

“It’s involved,” Reid began.

“Maybe after we all sit down?” Emma suggested.

“It’s twins, Will!” Dr. Diana declared with a smile. “We are going to be grandparents of twins! Now, let’s all sit down at the table this nice man has found for us and order lunch and then I am sure Emma and Spencer will be glad to tell us all about it.”


	34. Chapter 34

It wasn’t long before the two couples were a sitting at a table in a quiet corner of the main dining room, studying their menus. 

“They used to have good beef tornados here,” Dr. Diana remembered as she looked down the page.

“They still do,” her husband told her. He looked over at her. “You remember?” he asked.

“Of course,” she smiled at him. “I remember a lot of things about this place, and also about what frequently happened afterwards - ”

Will Reid blushed as he reached over to take his wife’s hand.

After everyone had given their lunch order to the waiter, Will Reid discretely nodded and a bottle of nonalcoholic sparkling wine appeared at the table. 

“When you told me I was going to be a grandfather, I thought a celebration was in order,” he told Reid and Emma as the waiter popped open the bottle and began pouring glasses for everyone. “However, somehow I get the feeling that there is more to the story than I imagined.”

“Yes, there is,” Emma admitted. “And, to be honest, I need to begin by apologizing to you.”

By the time Emma and Reid had concluded their stories and made their apologies, lunch was almost over. 

“Oh My Dear!” Mr. Reid exclaimed, reaching over and taking Emma’s hand. “You should have come to me. While I am not exactly an expert at repairing relationships,” he glanced over at his wife. “I still would have tried to talk some sense into the two of you.”

“I know, and I’m sorry,” Emma replied. “But, everything is out in the open now and we can move on from here.”

“You said the babies are due the middle of February?” Dr. Diana verified. 

“Yes, but statistically twins usually arrive at approximately 37 weeks,” Reid reminded her. “So, we may be looking at the end of January.”

“Still,” his mother replied, staring dreamily off into space. “I think a copy of Chaucer’s ‘The Parliament of Fowls’ will be an appropriate gift. Will, you will have to help me find one – Two, actually.” She looked over and smiled at her husband.

“I will be glad to,” Will Reid assured her. “And, I will also plan on driving both of us to Quantico when the babies arrive. I know how you hate to fly.”

“As for my apartment and car,” Emma began.

“Not to worry!” her father-in-law replied. “Just leave me the keys and I will be glad to pack up anything you have left at the apartment and store it at my place. And, as for your car, I’ll take care of selling it for you, if that’s what you want.”

“Thank You!” Emma told him gratefully. “The boxes from when I moved in are still in the second bedroom, so you’ll have those to work with. The apartment came furnished so I don’t have a lot to leave behind – Mainly books and bookcases. And, as for my car, as much as I hate to see it go, selling it is probably a good idea.”

“I’ll handle it,” her father-in-law again assured her.

“Now, Mother,” Reid looked at his watch. “We need to get going if we are going to drop you off at Bennington before Emma’s doctor’s appointment.”

“You don’t need to hurry,” Will Reid told him. “I can take Diana back to Bennington. It will give us some time to talk. We haven’t done that in far too long.” He looked over at his wife and smiled.

“Will that be okay with you, Dr. Diana?” Emma asked.

“That will be fine,” the assurance came quickly. “And – “ the woman hesitated for a moment as she studied her daughter-in-law. “Don’t you think it’s about time you started calling me ‘Mom’? After all, you do call Will ‘Dad’.”

“If that’s what you want, Mom,” Emma assured her. “Although, I had hoped I would continue to be your Poetry Fairy.”

“Go on now,” Diana smiled fondly at the couple. “Don’t be late for the doctor. And, take good care of my – our – grandchildren.”


	35. Chapter 35

Promptly at four o’clock that afternoon, everyone was gathered in Dr. Beekman’s waiting room, anxiously waiting to see the doctor.

“First things first,” the nurse who came out to greet with them declared. “I need to get some preliminary readings on Dr. Porter for Dr. Beekman. After she has them and has examined Dr. Porter, she will speak with all of you.”

“Okay,” Rossi said agreeably. “We’ll just take seats out here.” He suited his action to his words by sitting down on nearby couch, where he was immediately joined by Garcia. A smiling Blake took a seat nearby and picked up a magazine to study.

“If you will come with me.” The nurse led Emma and Reid through the door and into the examination area.

  
It wasn’t long before everyone was again sitting in the consultation room, anxiously awaiting Dr. Beekman. As she walked through the door, she stopped and smiled at the group. “I think I am getting used to this,” she commented cheerfully. “Having an audience this attentive is definitely addictive.”

She looked at Blake. “You weren’t here last time,” she observed. “But, for some reason, I think I know you.”

“Dr. Alex Blake,” Blake introduced herself. “Agent Jarreau had to leave and I arrived last night to take her place.”

“Dr. Blake?” Dr. Beekman questioned. “Are you by any chance related to Dr. James Blake, from Doctors Without Borders?”

“He’s my husband,” Blake admitted.

“That’s where I recognize you from then,” Dr. Beekman exclaimed. “About two years ago I attended a talk he gave and it included some slides he had taken on his trips. If I remember rightly, you were in several of them.”

“That’s me,” Blake laughed. “I’m not exactly photogenic, but I always end up in his pictures!”

“Now,” the doctor continued as she down in a chair. “I know you are all anxious to hear my findings on Dr. Porter, so here we go.”

She smiled at Emma, who was sitting next to Reid, holding hands. “First off, I want to say that all of Dr. Porter’s vital signs are vastly improved from yesterday and I strongly suspect that all of you are responsible for that. Now, as far as I can tell, Dr. Porter and the babies are all in good health and I don’t see any reason why she can’t fly back to Quantico with you. However, I have to warn you that that needs to happen sooner rather than later, and with as little stress as possible. As you can imagine, with Dr. Porter approaching the end of her second trimester, she is very close to the time when she will be unable to fly. Also, a decision will need to be made shortly concerning putting her on bed rest.”

“Bed Rest!” Emma exclaimed. “That is – “ she stopped and looked around at the others. “Going to be difficult for me?” she finished weakly.

“I know,” the doctor sympathized with her. “However, you have to consider the babies and what is best for them.”

“As little stress as possible,” Rossi echoed the doctor, and then began smirking. “Would a medical air transport flight be an appropriate form of transportation?”

“That would be a little extreme,” the doctor replied. “A commercial flight would be fine, although I would recommend that if at all possible Dr. Porter be in First Class.”

“That might not be necessary,” Rossi was still smirking and Garcia was smiling widely. “I think I might have just the thing.”

“Dave?” Emma questioned. “You are not thinking of chartering a medical air transport plane for me, are you?”

“No need to charter one when I know where there is one already available and ready to go,” Rossi told her. “And, I am certain they will be delighted to have you as a passenger.”

“Rossi?” Reid questioned. “What is going on?”

“Well, it just might be that a little birdie told me about a certain senator who is currently here in Las Vegas, strictly on a fact finding mission, of course,” Rossi smirked. “And, unfortunately, he has had a medical setback in the form of a mild heart attack. He needs to get back to D.C. with as little fanfare as possible and, hopefully, without attracting the attention of his constituents. If Emma will consent to being listed as the primary passenger on the plane’s manifest, we will all have a ride.”

“Wouldn’t I have to have some sort of a medical attendant listed as well?” Emma asked.

“How about me?” Blake volunteered. “I once worked with my husband’s team for several months, and I took their standard women and children midwifery course. While I’m not by any means an expert, I do remember how to check your blood pressure and pulse and handle other basic medical procedures. And, technically, I am a ‘Doctor’.”

“That would work,” Dr. Beekman agreed. “A medical air transport plane is a little extreme perhaps, but not a bad idea.” She looked at Blake. “Are you sure you remember what to look out for?”

“I think so,” Blake replied. “However, if you can give me some guidelines – “

“No problem,” the doctor told her. “Everything is pretty straight forward. I’ll make you a list.”

“Now,” the doctor continued. “Before you leave to head back to Quantico, I want to tell all of you what an interesting experience this has been for me. I honestly thought that I had encountered every possible variety of friends and family birthing groups, but I have to admit that your group rapport is definitely unique. I want to thank you all of for a most interesting experience.”

“It was our pleasure,” Rossi assured her as he stood up to shake her hand.


	36. Chapter 36

After she and Reid arrived at her apartment, it didn’t take long for Emma to pack all of her new maternity clothes and her toiletries into the suitcases they had purchased that morning. Then, in the room that was left, she began packing some of her older clothes. “I won’t be pregnant forever,” she explained to Reid. “And, hopefully, these will still fit after the babies are born.”

“We’ll just buy you some new clothes,” Reid protested as he noticed how worn her meager wardrobe of jeans and hoodies was. Guiltily, he thought of the closets in his apartment, packed full of his shirts, vests, and large variety (thanks in part to Garcia) of ties.

“No need for that,” Emma told him cheerily as she zipped closed the last of her new suitcases. “I can make do. I have been doing that for years.”

She then walked over to her bedroom closet and took out her pink suitcase and her backpack. “I brought them with me the first time I came to visit you,” she explained to Reid. “And, I want to take them on my last trip to visit you.”

“You’re not just a visitor,” Reid told her emphatically. “Not any more!”

“Well, at any rate, there are some things I want to pack in these so I can keep an eye on them.” Emma opened the top drawer of the beat-up chest of drawers, took out a small, wooden box, and opened it.

“My jewelry box,” she explained as she took out a chain with two rings hanging on it.

“That’s your ring from our proxy marriage,” Reid recognized the chain she had worn for so many years. “And, that’s my ring, too.”

“Yes,” Emma smiled at him as she fastened the chair around her neck. “It’s probably time I went back to wearing them, at least for the time being.”

“What else have you got in there?” Reid asked curiously.

“The rather exorbitant engagement ring Rossi so thoughtfully provided for us.” Emma held up the velvet box. “I have never really worn it, but I definitely appreciate the thought that went into choosing it. Also – “ She held up another jeweler’s box.

“The wedding ring I gave you when we had our vow renewal ceremony,” Reid recognized the box. “I noticed that you haven’t been wearing it.” Unconsciously he twisted the matching ring on his left hand.

“My fingers started swelling,” Emma held up her left hand so he could see. “When I realized what was happening, I took it off before it had to be cut off. I don’t want it ruined.”

“And the pendent from last night,” Reid completed the inventory. “I can see why you want to take all this on the plane with you.” He watched as Emma closed the box and carefully put it into her pink suitcase.

“And, don’t forget my laptop,” Emma continued as she placed it in her backpack. “Now, let’s see if all this will fit in the trunk of your rental car.”

As the couple concentrated on packing Emma’s suitcases into the car, they never noticed that the old, nondescript vehicle was again parked in the shadows at the far end of the lot with a woman and man sitting in it intently watching them.

 **“SH*%$!”** Moira repeatedly slammed her hand into the steering wheel. “They are leaving – She’s going away with him - They can’t do this to me!”

“Where do you think they are going?” Elliot Williams asked.

“Probably back to Quantico,” was Moira’s guess.

“Maybe we can catch up to them?” Elliot Williams suggested hesitantly. “We might be able to grab them again – Like we did last time.”

“But first – “ Moira looked thoughtful. “First – “


	37. Chapter 37

The private landing strip used by the medical air transport company was located adjacent to McCarran Airport and, before long, Emma and Reid were sitting in their terminal along with Rossi, Garcia, and Blake, waiting for instructions to board the plane.

When Reid’s cell phone rang, he glanced at the screen and then smiled.

“Hi Dad!” he answered it cheerfully. “Yes, she’s right here,” he replied cautiously.

“Okay,” giving Emma a curious look he stood up and walked a short distance away while listening to his father.

“WHAT?” the exclamation escaped before he could control it. “When?” Holding the phone to his ear, Reid quickly walked out of the terminal and into the night.

When he returned a few minutes later, Reid immediately went over to Rossi and began speaking in a low voice. Rossi then took out his cell phone and went outside while Reid walked over to where the three women were sitting, intently watching him.

“Emma,” Reid began. “I just got a call from Dad.”

“Okay?” Emma waited.

“Apparently, he went over to your apartment to check and see what needed packing and moving,” Reid continued. “And, when he got there, the police were already there.”

“The police?” Emma questioned.

“It appears that your car has been trashed,” Reid told her seriously. “All the windows have been broken out, the tires have all been slashed, and the body has been beaten in.”

“You’re kidding!” Emma gasped. “That couldn’t all have happened in the short length of time since we left there!”

“Apparently, it did,” Reid assured her. “And, according to my father, the car is a total loss. Also – “ he hesitated.

“My apartment?” Emma guessed.

“Whoever it was also broke into your apartment,” Reid confirmed. “However, your next door neighbors heard the noise and, after beating on the common wall, went over to see what was going on. They saw two people running down the hallway, and they said that it looked like a man and a woman.”

“How bad?” was the next question.

“Not as bad as the car,” Reid replied. “Apparently, whoever it was didn’t have time to do more than overturn some bookcases and begin throwing food from the refrigerator around.”

“Well, then, it’s a good thing I didn’t have a lot of food in there,” Emma observed dryly.

“Dad says he can handle the police reports,” Reid continued. “And, he requested that the BOLO that has already been issued for Moira Donovan and Elliot Williams be updated and sent out a second time. Apparently, the LVPD remembers both of them quite vividly from last year, so there should be no problem with that. Rossi is also calling the LVPD to stress how important it is. Now, if you can give me the name of your insurance company I will pass it on to Dad and he will see about filing your claims for you.”

As she spoke with Reid, Emma seemed oblivious to the fact the Blake had moved closer to her and was carefully observing her.

“What about my neighbors, Peter and Len?” Emma asked, concerned. “I assume they are the ones who came over. They have to be pretty shook up about this.”

“According to my father, they have behaved admirably,” Reid reported with a small smile. “Apparently, they are more upset about your things being destroyed than anything else.”

“My guess would be that the two of them are already headed out of town,” Rossi commented as he rejoined the group. “They know that the police will be watching the airports and bus stations, so they will most likely be driving. The LVPD is sending out a BOLO to all Nevada municipalities along routes heading out of state in the direction of Quantico.”

“They may very well arrive in Quantico before us,” Garcia worried.

“I don’t think so,” Blake was now checking Emma’s color as well as keeping a finger on her pulse. “Not unless our other ‘passenger’ is very late in arriving. Has anyone seen or heard from him?”

“It takes approximately 36 hrs, 40 min, with minimal stops, to drive from Las Vegas to Quantico, and approximately 4 ½ hours to fly,” Reid spoke up. “So, we should be there long before they arrive in the area.”

“And, I think I hear a vehicle pulling up,” Rossi announced as he walked over and looked out the door. “Ah – Yes – I do believe we will be leaving shortly.”


	38. Chapter 38

The ailing senator and his entourage were immediately whisked onto the waiting plane, followed closely by Emma and the three BAU agents.

“I arranged for meals to be brought on board for us,” Garcia told everyone as they sat waiting for the plane to be cleared for take-off. “And, after we have finished eating, hopefully, everyone can settle in for a smooth flight home.”

“Are you feeling okay?” Blake asked Emma. “The news about your car and apartment has to have upset you. Your vital signs are all within normal range. But, if you don’t feel good, please let me know.”

“I’ll be just fine, ‘Doctor’.” Emma closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I just need to keep reminding myself that those are just ‘things’ and that everything that is important to me is right here with me.”

“Smart Lady!” Rossi observed. “Keep things in perspective. Now, why don’t you fasten your seatbelt, sit back, and enjoy the ride!”

Take-off went smoothly and, shortly after the plane had leveled off for the flight to Quantico, everyone settled down to enjoy the meal Garcia had ordered for them.

“I wanted this to be a celebratory meal now that we are all headed home together,” she explained. “But, I really didn’t have the time to go over menus and discuss options with the catering service.”

“What are you worried about?” Emma asked her. “This vegetarian lasagna is absolutely delicious!”

“I second that!” Blake smiled at the tech. “And, did I see tiramisu for desert?”

“Don’t worry, Kitten,” Rossi assured her. “Once we get back I’ll have everyone over to my house for dinner, including the rest of the team.”

“Matt, too?” Emma asked with a smile.

“If you want,” Rossi told her. “Now, young lady, once you are done eating I want to see you lay down on that cot over there, close your eyes, and get some rest. You know what the doctor said.”

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

When the plane landed at the private strip near Quantico, the senator and his entourage were quickly loaded onto a private ambulance and an SUV that had been awaiting them and whisked away into the night.

“Well, that is that,” Rossi chuckled. “Now, let’s get ourselves organized.”

“I need to call a cab,” Reid said, taking out his cell phone. “Shall I get several?”

“Why don’t you wait until we get into the terminal?” Rossi suggested as he led the way down the ramp.

The first thing everyone saw when they walked into the terminal was a tall, dark haired man standing directly in front of the entrance door, wearing a huge grin.

“James!” Blake exclaimed as she hurried over to hug her husband. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, I just might have received a phone call from a certain BAU agent who told me about a certain flight that was due to arrive at a certain time.” James’ grin grew wider as he pulled his wife even closer.

“You called him?” Blake turned to look at Rossi.

“Guilty as charged!” Rossi admitted with a grin. “I thought a welcoming committee was in order.”

“And, Emma,” James untangled himself from his wife and walked over to the pregnant woman. “How are you? Any problems on the flight? I understand you gave Alex an opportunity to practice her midwifery skills.”

Emma smiled at him. “There just might have been a very comfortable cot on board that just might have had a very nice, warm blanket attached to it,” she bantered back. “And, it just might be possible that I developed an emotional attachment to said blanket.”

“I slept most of the way,” she admitted. “Between flying at night and the time change and everything, my circadian rhythm kicked in and I checked out.”

“Commonly known as jet lag,” Reid commented knowledgeably. “It will probably take several 24 hour light cycles for you to adjust to your new time zone.”

“But, you do feel okay?” the doctor questioned again as he casually picked up her hand and placed his fingers on her wrist to check her pulse. “Any swelling in your feet and ankles?”

“You are here to check on me, aren’t you?” Emma challenged him. “Dave - “

“Okay, okay. I was worried about you,” Rossi interrupted her. “Particularly after you got the news about your car and apartment. Now, it appears that our luggage has all been unloaded and brought in here and, just coincidentally, my car seems to be sitting outside.”

“We still need a cab,” Reid commented. “Garcia, do you want to share?”

“Actually,” Rossi spoke up again. “There is more than enough room in my car for the four of us, plus most of the luggage. And, if James will be good enough to loan us some space in his trunk, he can follow me back to my house where my housekeeper assures me she has a ‘lite supper’ waiting for us in the warming oven. She also assures me that all of my guest rooms are made up and ready for occupancy.” He looked expectantly at the others.

“Well, if you are willing to have us, that would solve the problem of wrestling all my suitcases up a flight of stairs in the middle of the night,” Emma said thoughtfully. “I could just bring the smallest case in with me and leave the rest in your car until morning.”

“And, it would save us a trip across town,” Blake added, looking over at her husband.

“So, what are we waiting for?” Rossi questioned as he clicked open the handle on one of Emma’s suitcases and began rolling it across the floor of the terminal.


	39. Chapter 39

Early the next morning Rossi was smiling happily to himself as he worked in his kitchen. The coffee was brewing and he was busy assembling the ingredients for the breakfast he planned to make for his houseguests when the front doorbell rang. After glancing at the monitor for the front door security camera, he quickly headed down the hallway to open the door.

“Hey, Man!” Morgan greeted him. “What’s up?”

“What’s up with you? Come on in.” Rossi stood to one side so the agent could enter the house. “What are you doing all the way out here?”

“Well, the house I have been restoring – “ Morgan began.

“Is in a completely different area,” Rossi interrupted him as he closed the door and began leading the way back to the kitchen. “You’re here because you want to check up on Reid and Emma, aren’t you?”

“I am concerned,” Morgan admitted. “After what JJ told me about Emma’s condition and about the fact that their stalker is back, I am worried about them. Reid is one of my best friends, and he and his pregnant wife may be in danger.”

The two men had reached the kitchen and Morgan took a seat on a stool at the island where he could watch as Rossi returned to attacking his assembled ingredients.

“Now, Rossi, what are you planning – “ Morgan began his interrogation.

“Morgan?” the woman’s voice came from the doorway behind him. “What are you doing here?”

When he turned around, Morgan saw Emma standing there and a smile creased his face. “I am here to congratulate the parents-to-be,” he declared heartily as he walked over to her. “And, it appears that I have found one of them right here!”

He swept her into a hug and then stood back to look at her.

“Girl,” he said, “JJ’s pictures didn’t do you justice. You look absolutely ravishing and don’t you let anybody tell you otherwise.”

“Ravishing isn’t exactly the word I would use at the moment,” Emma replied stroking her baby bump. “I look – “

“Ravishing!” Rossi told her firmly.

“Now,” Morgan continued. “I will have you know that my mother can’t wait to meet you. She is so excited about Reid becoming a father – Of twins no less. She hopes it will be a good influence on me.”

“Your mother?” Emma questioned cautiously.

“Fran is great – You’ll love her!” Garcia enthused as she joined them. “Maybe, now that she already likes you, you can talk her into giving you her peach cobbler recipe.”

 _“Good Morning, My Favorite Italian,”_ she batted her eyes flirtatiously at Rossi.

“Lots of luck with that,” Morgan laughed. “That peach cobbler recipe is her pride and joy.”

He looked at Garcia for a moment and then blurted out. “Baby Girl, have you been here all night?”

“Yes,” Garcia replied calmly.

“With Dave?” Morgan further questioned.

“Spencer and Emma were here, too,” Garcia pointed out. “As well as Blake and James. What exactly is your point?”

“Dave’s reputation,” Morgan told her. “You do know about that, don’t you?”

“You are with Savannah,” was Garcia’s retort. “Do you see me interfering with that? Besides, you had exactly the same reputation as Dave right up until you met Savannah. And, I would like to point out that, in some circles, you still have it!”

“Dave, what are you doing?” Emma decided to try creating a diversion. “I came down here to make breakfast for everyone.”

“No you are not!” Rossi told her. “This is my house, and **I** am making breakfast.”

“Not today!” Garcia nudged him out of the way. “Today, you are going to take Morgan into the great room and the two of us are doing the cooking.”

“Pushy woman!” Rossi grouched. He smiled at Morgan. “What do you think?” he asked.

“I think we had better get out of their way,” Morgan opinioned. “Besides, we have some things we need to discuss.”

“Derek?” Emma seemed to suddenly think of something. “Did Dave call you to come over because of me?”

“No, he did not!” Morgan was definitive.

“Are you sure?” she demanded.

“I am sure,” he told her. “However, I won’t lie to you. I am concerned about your safety. And, Reid’s too. After what JJ told us - ”

The doorbell rang again.

“Right on schedule,” Rossi commented dryly as he checked the monitor and saw JJ standing on his front porch.


	40. Chapter 40

“Does anyone think we should call Hotch?” JJ asked as she and Rossi joined Morgan in the great room. 

“Hotch – What for?” Reid was dressed but still rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he followed them through the doorway. 

“So he doesn’t feel left out?” Garcia suggested as she carried a tray containing empty coffee cups and a carafe of coffee, as well as sugar and cream, into the room. 

“This is the real stuff,” she commented as she placed the tray on a coffee table. “Emma’s decaf is still brewing.”

“She’s making her famous French toast?” JJ enthusiastically sniffed the air.

“She most certainly is!” Blake declared as she joined them. “Good Morning Everyone!’

“You certainly are cheerful this morning,” JJ observed.

“I am back in Quantico, James is here with me, and the team is back to its usual plotting and planning,” Blake replied cheerfully.

“Where is James?” Garcia asked.

“He stopped in the kitchen to talk with Emma,” Blake replied. “Just a cursory check. He was a little concerned that she wasn’t more upset last night about her car and apartment being trashed.”

“He thinks she should be more upset?” Reid questioned.

“Reid, do you ever remember Emma taking news like that calmly?” Morgan pointed out. “The Emma I know is someone who argues constantly and fights back vigorously. If she didn’t do that last night – “

His observations were interrupted by a loud crash coming from the kitchen. Rossi led the way as everyone changed down the hallway and into the kitchen, where they found Emma standing next to a pile of cooking utensils, lying in a heap on the tile floor. Emma was facing James and trying hard not to cry as she spoke to him.

“Are you asking whether I am upset because some psycho destroyed the first car I ever bought myself?” she demanded hotly. “Of course I am upset! That car meant something to me! Plus, there is the fact that the only reason this psycho has it out for me is because my mother married me off to a local lawyer’s son in order to protect me from yet another psycho who had a fixation on her. I tried to compartmentalize everything last night in the terminal and later during the flight because I was afraid that if I pitched a fit the FAA would find out and I would be banned from future flights.”

She paused to catch her breath, reach over to pick up a mug of coffee that was sitting on the counter, and hand it to Reid. “I fixed this for you,” she told him. “I think I got it right.” As he accepted the mug, everyone noticed that Emma’s hand was shaking.

“So, you are upset,” James clarified. 

“Listen, James, I am so upset that I could take that mug right now and throw it across the room,” Emma exclaimed indicating the mug she had just handed Reid. “There are only two things stopping me. First, it would make a mess that someone would have to clean up and second, that mug isn’t mine to destroy – It’s Dave’s.”

“If it will make you feel better, do it,” Rossi told her, taking the mug away from Reid before he even had a chance to take a sip. 

“Dave?” Emma looked at him as he handed the mug back to her.

“Throw it!” he encouraged her. “My housekeeper is always complaining that she doesn’t have enough to do, and heaven knows I can afford another mug. So go ahead – If it will make you feel better - Throw it!”

“You will feel better,” James advised her. 

“Cathartic,” Blake commented.

“My coffee,” Reid muttered under his breath. “Rossi, you took my coffee!”

Emma quickly pulled her arm back and then brought it swiftly forward, hurtling the mug into the kitchen sink, where it broke into pieces.

“Blast it all!” she exclaimed as the tears began to flow.

“Oh, Sweetie,” Garcia crooned as she swiftly moved forward and enveloped her in a hug. “Everything is going to be okay. You’re here with us now and we are going to get the bad guys.”

“My coffee,” Reid was staring mournfully at the sink.

“Your wife!” JJ hissed at him. “Your wife!”

“Oh, Yes, Emma,” Reid remembered. He moved to join Garcia in holding and gently rocking the sobbing woman. 

As Garcia relinquished her hold on Emma, her cell phone rang.


	41. Chapter 41

“Yes, Sir,” Garcia was speaking into her cell phone. “No need for that, Sir, they are all right here. Somehow, we all ended up at Rossi’s house this morning.”

“Of course, I understand,” she continued the conversation. “However,” she glanced over at Rossi. “Can you hold on for just a minute?” She put her hand over the phone.

“Dave, did I see one of those new smart TV’s in the great room?” she asked.

“Well, yes, I just got it a week or so ago,” Rossi replied. “The technician came in and hooked it up, but I really haven’t had a chance to use it.”

“It is hooked up, though,” Garcia verified.

“Well, yes,” he admitted.

“Sir,” Garcia was back speaking on her phone. “Why don’t you come over here and join us and we can all review the case while we eat breakfast?”

“Emma is cooking and, yes, I do have a way to access the bureau’s files,” she added.

“Okay, we will see you shortly,” she confirmed. “And, Sir, once you are on your way, if you will call and put me on speaker, there are some things I need to update you on.”

“Talk with you shortly,” she concluded the conversation and turned off her phone.

“Am I to assume that Hotch is on his way over and that we have a case?” JJ inquired.

“That’s right,” Garcia told her. “Now, Morgan, if you will give me a hand moving Dave’s TV so I can get behind it, I will see about connecting it to my laptop so I can pull up the case files from there.”

“James,” Blake looked over at her husband. “If I am going to be leaving again, I will need some clean clothes. Can I get you to run across town and pack a fresh go bag for me?”

“Just a minute, James,” Emma spoke up from where she was nestled in Reid’s arms. “Before you go doing a Mario Andretti rocketing across town - Dave, you do have a washer and dryer don’t you?”

“The latest and greatest,” he assured her. “My housekeeper insisted on replacing my old ones about a year ago.”

“Well,” Emma looked over at Blake’s husband. “If you don’t have any objection to your wife’s ‘unmentionables’ tumbling around in the machines with my husband’s ‘unmentionables’, I think we can save you a trip.”

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

By the time Hotch arrived at Rossi’s house, the TV had been hooked up to Garcia’s laptop, Blake and Reid’s laundry was well on its way to being completed, breakfast was ready to be served, and he had been brought up to date on Reid and Emma’s current situation. He was standing on the doorstep, not yet having had a chance to ring the bell, when the door burst open and Emma was standing there to greet him.

He leisurely surveyed her before giving her one of the rare smiles he usually reserved for Jack. “Yep, you are definitely pregnant,” he commented.

“That’s what the doctors all tell me,” she replied with a grin as she stepped forward to give him a hug.

“I have missed you,” she added as she nuzzled into his shoulder.

“And I have missed you,” was the response. He pulled back to look her in the face. “Now, before I forget, Matt Cruz sends his regards. He’s really sorry he can’t get away to join us this morning.”

“And, Jack is so excited,” he continued as he let go of Emma. “He thinks getting two babies at the same time is the epitome of ‘Cool’.”

“And, what about you?” Emma questioned as she began leading the way down the hall towards the great room.

“I have to admit, I think it’s pretty cool, too,” Hotch laughed. “Although, I can’t begin to fathom how Reid is going to deal with it.”

“We’ll just have to take it one day at a time,” Emma told him philosophically. “Now, I am going to assume you can find your way back to the great room on your own. I need to check on getting breakfast out of the warming oven.”

“You famous French toast?” Hotch questioned.

“Right the first time,” Emma replied cheerily.

“You aren’t planning on carrying everything into the great room all by yourself, are you?” was his next question.

“Not to worry,” James poked his head out of the kitchen. “The doctor is in the house!”

“I plan to set everything out on the kitchen island and let everyone serve themselves buffet-style,” Emma assured him.


	42. Chapter 42

The team was soon busy eating breakfast while they reviewed their latest case. Emma took one look at the pictures Garcia had put up on the screen and quickly retreated to the kitchen where she visited with Ginny, Rossi’s housekeeper, while she folded Reid’s and Blake’s clean clothes and packed them into their respective go bags. 

When the team began gathering up their paperwork and other belongings in preparation for leaving for the airstrip, Emma again joined them.

“If someone could drop me at Spencer’s apartment,” she began her request.

“Well, about that – “ Rossi exchanged looks with Hotch while Reid began studying his shoes.

“We don’t know where Moira and Elliot are or when they will arrive in this area,” Hotch told her. 

“And, they know where Spence lives,” JJ pointed out.

“So, if it is all the same to you,” Rossi began the summation. “We think you should stay here at least until we get back.”

“Stay here?” Emma looked at him. “Like I am trapped in a cage?”

“Oh no - Nothing like that at all,” Rossi hurried to assure her. “You can use my little car and go anywhere you want. It’s just that Ginny and her husband, Al, are here and can keep an eye out for any strangers in the area. And, at night, you can set the alarm system. It will be safer for you.”

“Please?” Reid looked her in the eyes as he spoke. “You can get anything you want from my apartment and bring it over here, but please stay here.”

“I’ll only be a phone call away,” Garcia added. “Besides, we need to find a local doctor for you. You can come have lunch with me while we look.”

“Morgan - Blake?” Emma looked over at them. “I haven’t heard from either of you.”

“Rossi does have a very good security system,” Morgan said slowly. “And, I would hate to come back to find out that something happened to you and the babies.”

“Having Rossi’s car, you can still go over to the university and confer with the group you were working with before,” Blake pointed out. 

“That’s right,” Emma agreed. “I do have an outline for another paper I wanted to write on our work. I can probably get some additional feedback now that everyone has had time to think through our results.”

“And, I am sure Ginny will enjoy having you here to fuss over,” Rossi concluded. “She is always complaining that she doesn’t have enough work to do.”

“Okay – Okay!” Emma conceded. “I will stay. But, just until you get back. I don’t intend to let those two weirdoes dictate my life - I want to have a life!”

“Good choice!” Rossi applauded her decision. “I’ll get Al to bring your suitcases in from the car and take them up to your room.”

“There is one more thing,” Hotch hesitantly told her.

“What?” Emma eyed him suspiciously.

“I know you are accustomed to using the Metro to get around,” he said. “However, Matt has suggested that you stay off of it until after the babies are born.”

“Matt?” Emma questioned. “You discussed this with Matt?”

“I updated Section Chief Cruz on the status of one of my agents,” Hotch quickly corrected her. “And, I am passing on one of his suggestions.”

“It’s the same thing I asked Hailey to do,” he quickly added. “The Metro is crowded and strangers can get close to you, making it easy for them to harm you or even abduct you. Also, you can’t always get a seat, and I don’t trust that you can remain standing without losing your balance while the cars are moving.”

“Fair enough,” Emma conceded with a sigh. “I will stay off the Metro for the duration.”


	43. Chapter 43

“Well,” James spoke up. “If you are getting ready to leave for the airstrip, I believe that is my cue to say ‘Good-by’.”

“Thanks to Emma, your clean clothes are all folded and packed in your go bag,” he added as he pointed to her bag which was sitting next to the doorway.

“Let me walk you out to the car,” Blake suggested. “I am sure there are some things we need to discuss before you drive off.”

“James, thank you so much!” Emma walked over to hug the doctor. “I really appreciate your taking the time to come check on me.”

“My pleasure,” the man assured her. “Now, you take it easy – Understand? And, if something upsets you, let it out! Okay?”

“Okay,” Emma smiled at him as he and Blake headed for the front door.

“Let me go speak with Al,” Rossi told the group. “I need to tell him to bring Emma’s luggage in and also brief him on the situation with her and the stalkers.”

“What do you know about Al?” Morgan asked. “Is he capable of handling anything that may arise?”

“Al - ,” Rossi smiled. “Is my second cousin on my father’s side. After twenty years in the military, he retired and then went to work as a private bodyguard. I can’t tell you who he has guarded over the years, but take my word for it, the list is impressive. I have no doubt that Emma will be safe on his watch.”

“Good enough for me,” Morgan grunted. “Now, Baby Girl, do you need a ride somewhere?”

“If it’s all the same to you, I think I’ll wait for Dave,” Garcia replied. “However, I am sure Blake will appreciate a ride to the airstrip.”

“I let you go off on your own for three days and all of a sudden I am superfluous,” Morgan grouched. “I only hope you aren’t expecting me to bail you out of any ‘unfortunate situations’ any time in the near future.” He grinned at Garcia who smirked back.

“Where are you headed this time?” Emma asked Hotch. “I wasn’t exactly there for the briefing.”

“I noticed,” Hotch told her. “Our current crime scene is located in Duluth, Minnesota.”

“Duluth is located at – “ Reid began.

“The western end of Lake Superior,” Emma interrupted him. “It is a major inland seaport that hosts ships from all over the world, which arrive to pick up loads of grain, gravel, and iron ore. One of the world’s largest open pit iron ore mines is located not far from there.”

“WOW!” JJ commented. “Either you have done some work on that or you have figured out a way to tap into Spence’s massive intellect.”

“Fifth grade chapter on U.S. natural resources, plus a course on U.S. geography,” Emma smiled at her. “I can’t let Spencer always have the last word!”

“Now,” she continued, addressing Reid. “I have packed your clean clothes in your go bag. Why don’t you come upstairs with me and double check to see that I got everything you need in there? You might need to get something out of my luggage.”

“Out of your luggage?” Reid was confused. “Isn’t that all your – “

“Spencer – Upstairs – Now!” Emma grinned at him as she grabbed his hand and started pulling him towards the stairs.

“I think she’s trying to get you alone, Lover Boy!” Morgan stage whispered with a grin.


	44. Chapter 44

It took three days for the team to get a line on the unsub in Duluth. However, once they had a name, they and the local police officers quickly tracked down and captured the knife wielding serial killer who was attacking seamen on shore leave; angry because he had lost his job on one of the great lakes freighters.

That evening, when it came time to fly out, a slight problem arose.

“I don’t know if we can get out tonight,” the plane’s pilot told Hotch. “It is getting late and the local airstrip closes down shortly after sunset.”

“Are you sure?” Hotch inquired. “They can’t arrange for just one more plane to get out?”

“Sorry,” the co-pilot told him. “But, they make the rules.”

“It’s just that – “ Hotch hesitated and then decided to play his ‘Ace’. “Dr. Reid has a pregnant wife at home and he’s kind of concerned about her.”

“The Professor’s wife is pregnant?” the pilot exclaimed.

“You don’t mean that woman with the long, light brown hair who flew with you to Vegas about eighteen months ago?” the co-pilot asked.

“Yes, that’s her, Emma,” Hotch replied. “And, it’s twins.”

“Well,” the pilot glanced at his watch. “Round your people up. I just may have misread my watch. What with daylight savings time ending and all.”

“Yes, you know how confusing that can be,” the co-pilot threw Hotch a wink.

“Thanks guys - We’ll owe you one,” Hotch promised before hurrying off to collect the team.

Half an hour later, everyone was sitting on the jet, on their way back to Quantico.

Rossi finished talking on his cell phone and closed it up with a smile.

“How are things on the home front?” Hotch was sitting facing him.

“Just fine,” Rossi assured him. “I called Ginny just now to assure her that she would be compensated for the extra work she is having to do now that Emma and Reid are staying with me. However, it appears that Emma has insisted on helping Ginny with the housework. So, instead of having more work to do, she actually has less.”

“Emma never was one to just sit around doing nothing,” Hotch chuckled.

“It also appears that Emma and Ginny have been trading recipes,” Rossi continued. “And, from the sounds of it, when we get back I may have to go on a diet.”

“Any sign of the stalkers?” Hotch questioned.

“Not yet,” was the reply. “However, Al did take Emma out in the car and showed her what to watch for to determine whether she is being followed. He also taught her some simple evasive driving maneuvers.”

“How did that work out?” Hotch asked curiously.

“He says she is a quick study,” Rossi reported. “Although, she did point out that it would be easier to evade a stalker if she was on a motorcycle.”

“Dave, you don’t own a motorcycle, do you?” Hotch worried.

“No, thank goodness,” was the reply. “And, it is probably a good thing. I can just see her now – “

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.**

Reid, meanwhile, was standing in the galley at the back of the plane talking on his cell phone. He had a worried look on his face as he closed it and put it in his pocket. Walking carefully down the aisle, he took a seat across from Morgan and looked at the other agent expectantly.

“Morgan, I have a question,” he began.

“Okay, Lover Boy, what’s the problem?” Morgan asked with a grin.

“Well, I was just talking with Emma,” Reid began. “And, it seems that she and Garcia were planning on going out to lunch together today. However, when Emma arrived at the office, Garcia was tied up with some work for the Red Cell Team.”

“And?” Morgan questioned.

“Apparently Cruz had heard that Emma was in the building and stopped by Garcia’s office to say ‘Hi’,” Reid continued. “When he found out that Garcia wasn’t available to go to lunch, he invited Emma to join him.”

“So, Emma had lunch with Cruz?” Morgan summarized.

“Yeah, and I’m not sure how I feel about that,” Reid replied thoughtfully. “I don’t know, it just feels funny.”

“What feels funny?” JJ nudged Morgan over and sat down next to him.

“Emma went to lunch with Matt Cruz,” Morgan filled her in. “And, it seems that Lover Boy here is jealous.”

“I am not jealous!” Reid protested.

“Oh, yes, you are!” JJ chuckled.

“Reid is what?” Blake took the empty seat next to Reid.

“Jealous of the fact that Emma went to lunch with Matt Cruz,” JJ filled her in.

“Matt?” Blake questioned. “Well, they did work together last year when we had all been kidnapped and were being held for ransom. So, they are friends.”

“And, I know from personal experience that he is a gentleman,” JJ added. “I bet he just wanted to talk with her and catch up.”

“Where did they go?” Morgan asked.

“The restaurant where Rossi took Emma for lunch the first day I brought her into the office,” Reid replied.

“In other words, Matt Cruz took your very pregnant wife to a well lit, busy restaurant where they were surrounded by lots of other agents,” Morgan summarized.

“Well, I understand that pregnant is a turn-on for some men,” JJ commented slyly, glancing over at Morgan.

“Don’t look at me!” Morgan quickly protested, holding his hands up. “The only pregnant woman I ever intend to be involved with is my wife – Someday.”

“You can be jealous all you want,” Blake told Reid with a smile. “But, I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

“Can’t this plane fly any faster?” Reid fussed, irritably. “I bet I could give the pilot some tips that would speed it up.” He started to stand up.

“Cool It, Genius!” Morgan put his hand out to push him back down. “If you go into the cockpit now I strongly suspect that the pilots will be compelled to report you to the FAA and you could be banned from future flights.”

“Sit tight,” Blake advised. “I’m sure it won’t be long now.”


	45. Chapter 45

The next morning Rossi was smiling at himself in the mirror as he finished shaving. After the plane had landed the previous evening, and before the ramp had been moved into position, Hotch had made an announcement. “It’s late,” he had told the team. “Everyone go home and get some rest. I don’t want to see any of you in the office before 10:00 a.m. tomorrow morning.”

Rossi and Reid had wasted no time in getting off the plane, into Rossi’s car and, with Rossi at the wheel, heading for Rossi’s house. As he had pulled his car into the garage, the door leading to the house had opened, revealing Emma standing there waiting to greet them.

“Hi There!” she greeted Reid, who had rushed over to pull her into a hug and then soundly kiss her.

“Waiting up for us?” Rossi inquired archly.

“I missed both of you,” Emma replied, moving over to hug him and give him a kiss on the cheek. “And, from what I Garcia told me of the case, I thought you might need to unwind.”

“Now,” she continued. “Both of you head into the den. There are drinks in there for you, and also some snacks I made up. Dinner will be ready shortly.”

“You didn’t have to,” Rossi protested.

“I know that – I wanted to,” Emma replied as she gave both of the men a gentle shove towards the back of the house.

A short time later Emma had announced dinner, which turned out to be a pasta dish she and Ginny had created, along with salad and warm bread. Then, after they had finished eating, Emma had chased both him and Reid off to bed. 

“You’re both falling asleep at the table,” she had told them. “I’ll just do a basic clean-up now and finish the details in the morning.” She had then mischievously whispered something into Reid’s ear which had made him blush.

“Yes,” Rossi thought to himself as he carefully shaved around the edge of his beard, he could definitely get used to again coming home to find someone waiting for him. Maybe it was time he started seriously considering – 

A loud banging on the door of his suite pulled him out of his revere. Wiping his face with a towel, he hurried across his sitting room and opened the door to find Reid standing there waving his cell phone.

“Good Morning,” Rossi said dryly. “I thought Hotch gave us a late start time this morning.”

“Rossi, I’m in trouble!” Reid declared, pushing his cell phone into the older agent’s face. “I forgot to check my calendar and I turned the ringer off and I forgot and everybody reminded me but it didn’t help!”

“Let me guess,” Rossi was enjoying the genius’s discomfort. “You forgot your wedding anniversary.”

“Yes,” Reid stared at him horrified. “What am I going to do?”

“First, you come in here.” Rossi grabbed Reid’s arm, dragged him through the doorway into the room, and firmly closed the door behind him.

“And, then, you sit down,” Rossi pointed at an armchair and watched as Reid nervously perched on the edge of it.

“Now,” he continued, looking at his watch. “In approximately 45 minutes my florist is going to deliver 14 ivory-colored, long-stemmed roses, with one red rose in a separate vase, all for Emma.”

“Don’t worry,” he held his hands up. “Your name is on the card.”

“The traditional Fourteenth Anniversary gift is ivory,” Reid chanted. “But, real ivory only comes from endangered species.”

“That is why you are going to go with the color ‘Ivory’,” Rossi told him. 

“Emma’s dress at our vow renewal was ivory colored,” Reid remembered. 

“And, not coincidentally, that is also the color of some old paper, like that found in antique books,” Rossi pointed out.

“Old books?” Reid questioned, confused. 

“Antique,” Rossi corrected him. “Like my antiquarian book dealer specializes in. I am going to give you his name and address, and you can go over there during lunch and pick out something to give Emma as an anniversary gift. I don’t know what she likes to read or I would have already done it for you.” 

Rossi smirked. “You might even want to get her a companion book to the one I gave you two as a wedding present. That particular book dealer seems to be very good at locating them.”

“Flowers – A book – What else?” Reid asked.

“A candle light dinner here at the house,” Rossi told him. “I have already called my caterer and this afternoon they will be delivering everything you need. Ginny can help you set it up.”

“Here?” Reid questioned. “Shouldn’t we go out somewhere?”

“Not necessarily,” Rossi replied. “It is the company that counts, not the surroundings. And, before I forget, I don’t think that one glass of wine with dinner is going to hurt anything – Do you?”

As Reid slowly shook his head, Rossi added, “And, don’t worry about me. I have an evening out planned with another very special lady.”

“You knew I was going to forget, didn’t you?” Reid asked sheepishly. 

“Past history – Both yours and mine,” Rossi replied. “I never recovered from my gaff and I want to help you avoid that same fate.”


	46. Chapter 46

That afternoon, Reid left the office early and rushed home through the crisp fall air. He had spent his lunchtime visiting Rossi’s antiquarian bookseller and hoped that he had made a wise decision. He had also spent most of the afternoon on the phone with Ginny, discussing arrangements for thet evening’s dinner.

“Emma is pregnant and there are some foods she shouldn’t be eating,” he had reminded Ginny yet again.

“Stop worrying, Dr. Reid,” Ginny had told him exasperatedly. “I know what you need and I have it all organized. Now, I have to go. Emma is over at the university using their library and I need to get everything done before she gets back.”

As Reid parked his car in Rossi’s garage, he hoped that Ginny was right.

The minute he walked into the house, Reid realized that Ginny did indeed know what she was doing. The lights in the hallway had been dimmed in such a way that they seemed to be leading him towards the back of the house and the great room. And, was that roses he smelled?

When he walked into the great room, Reid realized that the furniture had been rearranged so that there was now a seating area off to one side, facing the windows onto the backyard where fairy lights were strung through the trees and bushes. On the coffee table in front of the couch was a vase containing the fourteen ivory-colored roses that had been delivered that morning, plus several plates of various hors d'oeuvres. A champagne bucket, filled with ice and a bottle of non-alcoholic sparkling wine, was standing next to the coffee table. In front of the fireplace, a table for two had been set up with a white tablecloth what was obviously Rossi’s fine china and silverware.

“Is this what you had in mind, Dr. Reid?” the voice came from behind him as he stood in the doorway staring at the scene.

“Ginny, this is incredible!” he exclaimed as he turned around. “I should have trusted you. I am so sorry!”

“You’re nervous,” Ginny told him with a smile. “I understand. But, I assure you, this will make Emma fall in love with you all over again.”

“I’m not really sure she fell in love with me to begin with,” Reid confessed. “She was just told she was marrying me and that she should love me. I sometimes wonder whether she ever really questioned that.”

“Oh, I don’t think you have anything to worry about, Dr. Reid,” Ginny told him. “I know head-over-heels in love when I see it and, believe me, that woman is head-over-heels in love with you. You should see her face light up when you call her on the phone. And, this morning, when she was telling me about the flowers you sent her, there were tears in her eyes.”

“Now,” Ginny continued. “I have to be on my way. I left all the instructions for heating and serving your dinner written out on a sheet of paper in the kitchen.”

“Thanks, Ginny,” Reid told her gratefully. “And, shouldn’t you call me Spencer? After all, you do call Emma, Emma.”

“If that is what you want - Spencer.” Ginny smiled at him as she turned to leave.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

Night was beginning to fall when he heard Emma drive into the garage. Reid started walking down the hallway to open the door for her and then hesitated, wondering whether he should do that. As he stood there, uncertain of what do to, the door leading to the garage opened and he could hear Emma’s footsteps as she came into the house.

“Spencer?” she called out. “Are you home? I see your car is in the garage. Spencer?”

Reid could hear that her footsteps had stopped. “Oh My Gosh – What is this?” she exclaimed.

“Happy Anniversary!” Reid suddenly felt shy as he walked towards his wife as she stood staring.

“This is – Unexpected,” Emma commented as she looked around at the lighting. “You already sent me those beautiful roses this morning.”

“There is more,” Reid told her as he took her hand and led her down the hallway and into the great room.

“More?” Emma questioned, as she looked, wide-eyed, around the room. “Spencer – You went to all of this trouble – Just for me?”

“It’s our anniversary,” he told her. “And, I wanted to do something special. Now, let’s sit down.” He steered her to the couch and, after making sure she was comfortably seated, removed the bottle from the champagne bucket.

“I’m not really sure how to open this,” he confessed as he examined the top.

“Oh – Okay,” he commented as he realized it was a twist top.

“Here,” Emma smiled at him as she picked up the champagne glasses from where they were sitting on the coffee table and held them up to be filled.

“Now,” Reid filled the glasses and then took a seat on the couch next to Emma. “We are going to drink to our fourteenth wedding anniversary and to many more.” He clinked his glass against hers.

“With at least two kids in tow,” Emma laughed as she subconsciously stroked her stomach. “Now, that is a scary thought!”

“At least?” Reid asked. “Does that mean you want more kids?”

“I’m not really sure,” Emma replied thoughtfully. “These two came as such a shock – Thanks, of course, to Dave and Penelope – And probably your dad, too.”

“What?” Reid questioned, confused.

“Spencer, don’t tell me you haven’t realized that we were set up?” Emma laughed. “What with Penelope coming up with all sorts of mundane reasons for changing the date, and Rossi’s book and bottle of wine, and the missing condoms, and all. How could you miss it?”

“Um – m – m - I guess I never thought about it,” Reid admitted. “Everything just happened –“

“Well, don’t worry. Just remember that what goes around comes around. I suspect they will all get their come-uppance without us having to do anything about it. It will just happen,” Emma smiled. “You do know that’s where Rossi is tonight, with Penelope, don’t you?”

“How did things go at the university?” Reid decided to change the subject. “Ginny said that’s where you were for most of the day.”

“It went well,” Emma told him happily as she set her glass down on the coffee table and picked up an hors d'oeuvre. “They want to hire me as a consultant. Not full time, I will have to bill them on an hourly basis, but it is a start.”

“That is good,” Reid agreed.

“Although,” Emma hesitated.

“What?” Reid sensed something.

“I thought I saw Elliot Williams on campus, and it gave me quite a scare,” Emma confessed. “But, the more I think about it, I think it was just some poor guy who is unfortunate enough to own a shirt like the one Elliot used to wear around Bennington.”

“Are you sure?” Reid questioned, concerned.

“I’m fairly certain,” Emma replied. “Although, I did use some of the evasive maneuvers Al taught me on my way home. Otherwise, I would have been here fifteen minutes earlier.”

“Al is going to be so proud of me when I tell him that I actually used what he taught me,” she congratulated herself. “I have to remember to tell him.”

“Well, I am proud of you, too,” Reid told her as he stood up and held out his hand. “And, now, let’s have dinner.


	47. Chapter 47

Afterwards, Reid would admit that, despite his eidetic memory, he didn’t remember much about that evening. He did remember the single red rose in a vase on the table where they ate dinner, along with the flickering candles. He remembered opening the bottle of wine Rossi had left for them, and pouring each of them a glass. He remembered watching Emma eat everything he served her, and praising it lavishly. Most importantly, he remembered seeing his beautiful wife sitting across the table from him and, suddenly, he realized why people went out for candlelight dinners at dimly lighted restaurants.

“I want to take you out to dinner,” he blurted out.

“Spencer, we are already eating dinner,” Emma gently pointed out. 

“I know, but I have never taken you out and I want to,” Reid told her. “Some place nice.”

“Well, we will see,” Emma replied. “In the meantime, I think this is fantastic – Thank You So Much!”

After they had finished eating dinner and had moved to the couch to share desert, Reid turned to Emma to tell her, “I have a present for you.”

“A present? Spencer, you have already done more than enough!” Emma protested.

“No, I want this to be a memorable anniversary,” Reid replied as he got up, walked over to the console, and took out the package Garcia had gift wrapped for him. “And, I want to show my wife how much I appreciate her.”

Shyly he handed the package to her.

“Thank you,” Emma told him. “And, I have to confess that, when I am done opening this, I have a gift for you, too.”

She carefully opened the paper, revealing several old books. Curious, she tilted them so she could look at the spines.

“Spencer, these are children’s books!” she exclaimed excitedly. 

She opened the front cover of the top book and gasped. “This one was printed in England, in the early 1900’s!” she exclaimed. She turned a few pages. “Look at the illustrations – They are incredible!” 

“Well, the traditional gift for a fourteenth wedding anniversary is ivory,” Reid told her. “And, the paper in those books has turned a shade of ivory. And, with the babies coming and all I thought – “ he was nervously stuttering.

“This is perfect!” Emma was looking at the second book. “I don’t think I will use these volumes to actually read to the children from but, when they get older – “

“Now, for your present,” Emma carefully placed the books on the coffee table, got up and walked over to where she had left her attaché. 

“I have been working on this for a while,” she explained as she took out a white, flat box and brought it over to hand to Reid. “And, as you will see, I have had some help.”

“It’s a scrap book,” Reid observed after taking the top off the box. 

“With an ivory colored cover,” Emma pointed out as she sat back down next to him.

Reid took the book out of the box and opened the cover. “The Story of Us,” he read from the first page. He then turned to the next page, which contained several of his baby pictures. 

“I haven’t seen these in years!” he exclaimed. 

“Your mother helped me,” Emma told him with a smile. “And, as you may have guessed, Penelope helped with organizing and arranging everything.”

The page after that displayed several of Emma’s baby pictures, and the following several pages contained school pictures from both of their years in Las Vegas public schools. As he carefully turned the pages, looking at each one, Reid suddenly came to a page that made him pause and closely examine the pictures on it.

“What?” he looked over at Emma, puzzled.

“Those are pictures from our proxy wedding,” she explained. “It took some doing and I had to make a lot of phone calls, but I managed to locate some pictures that various people took that day.”

Reid looked closer at them. “I never really thought about it,” he confessed. “I knew it took place, but I never questioned who or what was involved. 

“That’s you wearing the white dress,” he pointed at a figure in the center of a group portrait. “And, I assume the guy standing next to you, wearing the white suit, was my stand in.”

“Who is he?” he questioned. 

“You don’t recognize him?” Emma teased. “You have met him several times.”

Reid squinted at the picture. “I’m not really sure – “

“It’s Double D,” Emma laughed. “The poor guy got roped into it. And, that’s also the reason why his wife is kind of skittish around me. I was ‘married’ to him first!”

“Double D?” Reid repeated. “You know, I never asked, but why is he called that?”

“His legal name is Douglas Davies,” Emma explained. “Two D’s.”

After a final look at the two pages of pictures from their proxy wedding, Reid continued looking through the rest of the album, seeing pictures of both his and Emma’s various college graduations, as well as pictures of their vow renewal ceremony. When he got to the last completed page, a smile creased his face as he saw the sonogram picture of their twins.

“Do you like it?” Emma asked anxiously. “There is room for more.”

“I like it,” he assured her. “And, I intend to make sure that there will be plenty more pictures to fill the empty pages.” He pulled her close for one kiss – and then another – and then he stood up and held out his hand.

“Do you want to take another item off that list of yours?” he suggested shyly.

“Or we could revisit an ‘Old Favorite’,” Emma suggested with a smile as she stood up to join him.


	48. Chapter 48

Reid’s cell phone woke them early the next morning.

“You have a case?” Emma questioned sleepily as he checked the screen.

“Yes,” Reid replied as he untangled himself from Emma and crawled out of their bed. “Go back to sleep. Later this morning, when I know for sure, I’ll call and let you know where we are headed.”

“Well, if I don’t answer and the call goes to voice mail, please don’t panic,” Emma said. “This morning I have my Get Acquainted appointment with the obstetrician Penelope and I decided on.”

“That’s right,” Reid looked over at her. “I wanted to be there to make sure – “

“Spencer, I can handle everything,” Emma told him firmly. “I don’t want you intimidating the poor doctor right away. You can do that another time. Besides, I might not like him and you will have wasted your time. Go on now.” She gave him a gentle push towards the bathroom.

The case involved several missing teenagers in Glendale, New Hampshire, and the BAU team was soon on their way to the airstrip. As Rossi drove, Reid tried calling Emma on her cell phone but his call went to voice mail. He left her a message telling her where they were headed, and promising to call her again as soon as they arrived.

After the plane had landed, the team went directly to the local sheriff’s office where they met with the deputies who had been handling the investigation up to that point. They were busy debriefing the locals when Rossi’s phone rang. He glanced at the screen, murmured, “Sorry, I need to take this. It’s the boss,” and quickly walked outside.

Rossi had only been gone for a minute or so when he hurried back into the conference room. “Sorry,” he told the sheriff. “But I need to set up a private call on speakerphone. Is there an office we can use?”

“You can use my office,” the sheriff offered. “Let me show you the way.”

“Reid – Hotch – You need to be in on this, too,” Rossi called out as he followed the lawman out of the room.

“Morgan, JJ, Blake, continue without us,” Hotch told the rest of the team. “I am sure this won’t take long.”

The three agents were soon gathered around Rossi’s cell phone as it lay open on the sheriff’s desk.

“Dr. Reid, are you there?” Matt Cruz’s voice came through the speaker.

“I’m here,” Reid verified. “Also, Rossi and Hotch.”

“Good,” Cruz replied. “Because I need to tell you something and it also affects Agent Rossi and, possibly, Agent Hotchner.”

“First off, I want to assure you that Emma is alright,” he continued. “A little shaken up, but definitely alright.”

“Emma?” Reid almost shouted. “What happened?”

“Well, it seems she had a doctor’s appointment this morning,” Cruz replied. “And, afterwards, she was planning on walking over to campus to speak with some members of the Psych Department about that project she is consulting on.”

“And?” Reid asked impatiently.

“As she walked out of the building the doctor’s office is located in, it appears that Moira Donovan was in the area,” Cruz reported. “Emma couldn’t tell whether it was planned or whether she just happened to be headed towards campus, too. Regardless, she saw Emma and immediately came over and spoke to her.”

“What did she say?” Hotch interrupted whatever it was Reid was going to say.

“Something to the effect of ‘I see you are taking good care of my babies. I’ll be coming for them soon’,” Cruz replied. He hesitated before adding, “And then she put her hand on Emma’s stomach.”

“What? She touched my wife and my babies?” Reid yelled, incensed.

“What happened then?” Rossi quickly broke in.

“Emma gave her a push backwards,” Cruz reported. “And she fell down. Then, Emma hurried over to the parking lot and got into her car. According to the security footage Garcia managed to pull up, Moira just sat there on the ground for a minute or so, and then got up and walked away in the opposite direction. There is no indication that she saw the car Emma was driving or that she tried to follow her in any way.”

“What about accomplices?” Hotch asked.

“None that Garcia can identify,” Cruz told him. “Although, we are reviewing the footage more thoroughly, looking specifically for that.”

“Look for Elliot Williams,” Reid instructed, agitatedly. “Emma thought she saw him on campus yesterday.”

“What happened then? Rossi asked.

“Emma did the right thing,” Cruz reported. “She wasn’t sure whether or not she was being followed, so she came straight over here. She called Garcia while she was in route, and then Garcia called me and also rounded up Agent Anderson. When Emma pulled into the parking garage, we were all there waiting for her. We immediately took her to the infirmary to be checked out.”

“She is okay?” Reid was trying to calm down.

“Yes, as I said she was shook up, but she is just fine – and so are the babies,” Cruz assured him.

“And, now – Where is she now?” Rossi asked.

“After she had calmed down and the doctor had cleared her, I made arrangements for Anderson to take her home,” Cruz explained. “I had him get a surveillance car from the car pool to use for the trip. His instructions are to make certain she is safely delivered to both Ginny and Al’s care, and then to accompany Al as he double-checks the house’s security system.”

“I’ll call Ginny right now and make sure she knows what is going on.” Without asking, Rossi appropriated Reid’s cell phone and began pushing buttons.

“You said Garcia had checked footage from the security cameras?” Hotch confirmed.

“Yes,” Cruz replied. “And, from what we can tell, it doesn’t look like Emma was followed.”

“So, we can assume that Moira doesn’t know what type of car Emma is driving or where she is currently living,” Reid confirmed.

“That’s right,” Garcia’s voice came through the phone. “I can’t find evidence of either her or Elliot Williams on any of the tapes I managed to locate. Although, they are currently undergoing a frame by frame review.”

“Well,” Hotch looked over at Rossi, who was concluding the conversation with his housekeeper. “I suspect this means Emma and Reid will continue to be your houseguests.”

“And,” Rossi walked over and handed the phone back to Reid. “In the future, Emma is going to have Al driving her whenever she goes out, whether she wants it or not. This will not be happening again!”

“And, now, my most favorite genius, before you go, we have to have a private conversation,” Garcia concluded the call.


	49. Chapter 49

“Okay, Garcia,” Reid had the tech on his cell phone as he sat alone in the sheriff’s office. “What is going on? Emma is okay, Right?”

“Yes and no,” was the response.

“I have a question for you,” she continued. “What is her financial situation like? Do you even know?”

“Well, I know she got a check from the insurance company for her car,” Reid recalled. “She said she was going to use it to pay some bills. And, I know she got her final paycheck from Bennington.”

“Other than that?” Garcia questioned.

“Oh No!” Reid moaned. “I never even thought about it. She doesn’t have any money coming in, does she?”

“I suspect not,” Garcia told him. “When she came in here today, she was wearing one of the cotton outfits we got her in Las Vegas, along with open toed sandals, and the temperature outside is currently in the 50’s. Besides being scared, she was freezing to death! She needs some warmer clothes to see her through the winter – A jacket, boots, mittens, sweaters, at the very least.”

“Has she bought anything for the babies?” she continued her interrogation.

“She did mention something about us needing to go shopping,” Reid remembered. “But, I haven’t had the time.”

“I happen to know that she has a pair of really nice wicker bassinets picked out,” Garcia told him. “But, I also know she hasn’t bought them. I suspect that is because she hasn’t any money. And, if you will remember, when we were in Vegas she mentioned that she needed to get car seats for the babies just to bring them home from the hospital.”

“What should I do?” Reid asked anxiously. “You are right, she needs to buy things for herself and for the babies, and she most likely doesn’t have any money. And, knowing Emma, she isn’t going to ask for any, even from me. She is just too independent.”

“She is far too used to taking care of herself,” Garcia agreed. “She sees that as a sign of weakness. And, she has never learned how to ask for help.”

“Talk to Rossi,” she suggested. “I know what I would do, but he probably has had experience with this.”

“Set up a bank account for her exclusive use,” was Rossi’s advice. “And, make arrangements with your bank to have a set amount of money transferred into it on a regular basis. That’s what I did with my third wife. Of course, in her case I was trying to control her spending. Knowing Emma, you’ll have the opposite problem. You’ll have to monitor the account to make sure she actually is spending money.”

“Also,” he added. “I am going to talk with Ginny and Al and have them clear out the bedroom across the hall from the one you are using. You are going to need a place to store whatever you buy for the babies, and that will be a convenient area for you to use.”

“Like car seats,” Reid remembered.

“News Flash, _Boyo_!” Rossi grinned at him. “You are also going to need a new car!”


	50. Chapter 50

It was quiet Sunday morning, the week before Thanksgiving, at the Rossi/Reid/Porter/and, frequently, Garcia household. Rossi had enthusiastically cooked breakfast for the four of them, and now he, Reid, and Emma were all sitting in the breakfast nook with the Sunday paper, while Garcia puttered about, pruning the indoor plants. The two men were reading the news and Emma was attacking the coupons sections with a pair of scissors when Rossi lowered the paper and looked over at her.

“You do know that isn’t necessary, don’t you?” he asked with a smile. “I can afford to pay for groceries.”

“I need to stay in practice,” Emma replied. “As much as we appreciate your hospitality, Spencer and I can’t stay here forever. We need to start thinking about the time when we will be getting a place of our own. With two babies on the way and my not being able to work full time for the next – Six months – Things are going to be tight. We’ll need to watch our money.”

Rossi looked over a Reid. “She still doesn’t know?” he asked.

“Um – m – m - It didn’t seem all that important,” Reid stuttered.

Garcia stopped what she was doing with the plants, leaned against the kitchen counter with her arms crossed in front of her, and began intently studying the table and its occupants.

“Young man,” Rossi lectured. “You don’t want to start a marriage keeping secrets from each other. Take my word for it. I learned my lesson the hard way.”

Emma was watching the byplay. “Spencer? What aren’t you telling me?” she asked.

“Maybe Penelope and I had better leave,” Rossi suggested, starting to stand up.

“No, Dave – Stay. And, Penelope, too,” Reid said. “You already know and I am sure she has guessed, and the two of you may be able to help.”

“Okay,” Rossi sat back down and glanced over at Garcia, who took that as an invitation to join them at the table.

Reid looked sheepishly at Emma. “Um – m – m - You don’t exactly have to worry about money,” he began. “I’m not exactly wealthy like Dave here, but I do have enough.”

“Enough – For what?” Emma questioned. “How?”

“When my mother went into Bennington, I sold our house to pay her initial costs,” Reid began. “And, at first, her disability checks helped to make up the difference. Then, when I turned 21 and was legally able to gamble, I began playing the various casino games in earnest. Before I was banned from the casinos, I managed to make enough to set up a trust fund for her. She is well provided for, for the rest of her life.”

“Well, that’s one bill we won’t have to worry about then,” Emma gave a sigh of relief. “I had wondered how you were handling it. I know how expensive that place is!”

“Then, there are the textbooks,” Reid continued. “I authored and/or coauthored several texts that are used in colleges and universities around the world. I update them on a regular basis so they remain relevant, and that means I receive a regular income from them.”

“Okay?” Emma wasn’t sure what to say.

“And, the FBI manuals,” Reid added. “I wrote a lot of them and also update them on a regular basis. Every time I do that, I collect a small stipend.”

“Add that to the income I receive from the patents I filed when I was getting my doctorates and have since licensed out, and the fact that I have never really needed a lot of money to live on and - .“

“What you are telling me, in your roundabout way, is that there is no shortage of money,” Emma got right to the point.

“Kind of,” Reid admitted. “If you want the details, you’ll need to contact my money manager.”

“Money Manager - You have a money manager?” Emma asked, stunned.

“Well, with my job and all I don’t have time to manage everything myself,” Reid explained. “And, Rossi’s cousin’s wife seemed to be doing a good job for him, so I hired her.”

“So,” Emma was thinking. “We could, quite possibly, put money down on a house?”

“If you want, we could probably buy a house outright,” Reid told her, and then hesitated before asking, “Do you have something in mind?”

Emma looked over at Rossi. “The Godfrey’s, your neighbors down the road,” she told him. “Are thinking of downsizing. They mentioned it earlier this week when Ginny and I walked over for an afternoon visit. Their grandchildren are all either in college or finishing up their studies, and they no longer need all that indoor space or the large yard. And, it is getting a bit much for them.”

“That is a nice house,” Rossi admitted. “It is smaller than this one; however, they raised four kids in it. And, if I remember right, he had a good-sized room added on to the back of the house to use as his study.”

“He is a retired admiral who collects antique maps. That room has its own HVAC system, and it can be closed off from the rest of the house,” Emma explained to Reid. “That would give you a kid-proof place to keep your books and papers. That is something we need to think about.”

“And, it is in a good neighborhood with nice people living just down the road,” Garcia pointed out with a smile.

“The impact of home ownership on children has been documented in numerous academic studies,” Reid began reciting. “Many of them have found that home ownership has a wide range of positive effects on children. These positive outcomes include: better health; fewer behavioral problems; greater achievement in math and reading; lower high school dropout rates; fewer teen births; more years of schooling by age 25; and higher high school graduation rates. Although it is has been debated whether home ownership itself, or the residential stability and positive neighborhood characteristics that accompany it are the main underlying factors contributing to better outcomes; some research has shown that home ownership has a significant effect on children’s success. Those studies argue – “ he paused to catch his breath.

“Okay, Okay. So you think buying a house would be a good idea,” Emma interrupted him.

Rossi stood up and took out his cell phone. “Let me call the Godfrey’s and see if we can stop in for a visit this afternoon,” he suggested.


	51. Chapter 51

The Godfrey’s were delighted to hear from Rossi and promptly invited him, as well as Reid, Emma, and Garcia, to stop in for an afternoon visit.

When Emma hesitantly broached the subject of possibly purchasing their house, Mrs. Godfrey teared up. 

“Oh My Dear!” she choked out. “You are so right - This tired old house definitely needs some youngsters in it again. You will probably want to update the kitchen, and the baths as well, but – Would you like to see the upstairs?”

Emma was smiling as she enthusiastically nodded ‘Yes’, and soon she and Garcia were following Mrs. Godfrey out of the family room for a tour of the house.

“So, Twins is it, young fellow?” the retired admiral harrumphed to Reid. “Keep you on your toes, they will. Let me show you my lair. It’s a place where you can close the door and get away from it all.” He stood up to lead the way towards the back of the house.

“What are you planning on doing with all these maps?” Rossi asked a short time later as he stood looking at the multiple custom-built drawers and shelves lining the walls of the admiral’s study. 

“I have a museum in mind,” was the reply. “It’s time to put all these someplace where they can maybe do somebody some good.”

A short time later, after everyone had completed their tours of the various rooms in the house, they met again in the family room. Emma smiled at Reid and nodded an emphatic ‘Yes’ while Garcia beamed her approval.

“Well, it looks like you may have a buyer,” Rossi told the retired couple with a smile. “Do you want to bring in the lawyers?”

Negotiations on the price of the house, as well as most of the furnishings, and settling on a move out date, only took a few days. The Godfrey’s wanted one last Christmas in the house with their family, and agreed to be moved out before the middle of January. 

“There isn’t much I want to take with me,” Mrs. Godfrey smiled. “At this time in my life I want to make a clean start. The kids and grandkids will undoubtedly want to take some things, but there should be a lot of furniture left. I strongly suspect the two of you don’t have much in the way of furnishings and this is a big house.”

“And don’t forget the apartment above the garage,” Emma added with a smile. “We’ll need to get that ready right away so Spencer’s folks have a place to stay when they come to visit after the babies are born.”

Once they had an approximate date when work could begin, Morgan stepped in and offered to help them line up contractors for the areas they wanted remodeled. 

“You’ll need to update a lot of this,” Morgan declared after looking through the house.

“Not right away!” Emma protested. “Just the kitchen and bathrooms at first, and a coat of paint on everything else. We can live with the carpeting for the time being.”

“If you insist,” Morgan grumbled. “Although, it would be easier if it were all done at the same time.”

“And, it would take longer,” Emma pointed out as she stroked her increasing large baby bump. “Remember, we are on a schedule here and Eek and Meek might not like coming home from the hospital to paint fumes.”

“And, hopefully, by then we will also have gotten rid of our stalkers,” she added. 

“And, installed a state-of-the-art security system,” Reid reminded her. “I want to make sure you and our children will always be safe.”


	52. Chapter 52

It was an icy cold day at the beginning of December when the team walked off the plane in Zionsville, Pennsylvania, ready to deal with a case involving a family annihilator.

“Why can’t unsubs devolve somewhere with a warm climate this time of the year?” JJ asked as they walked across the cold tarmac.

“That’s part of what makes them so evil,” Blake pointed out as she pulled open the door to one of the waiting black SUVs and climbed inside.

“Three families this guy has killed, and just before Christmas,” the local sheriff told them when they arrived at her office. “The whole area is on edge. We need to put a stop to this now!”

“That’s what we are here for,” Hotch assured her. “I assume you have a place for us to set up?”

“Right this way,” the sheriff let them into a small conference room containing a conference table and chairs, as well as several evidence boards. “Is this okay? We weren’t sure what you would need and asked your tech analyst for guidance.”

“This is fine,” JJ assured her as she walked over to examine the boards.

“A map of the area?” Reid looked around.

“I can get one for you,” one of the deputies assured him before hurrying out of the room.

“And, if someone can take two of my agents out to the latest crime scent?” Hotch requested.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

Twenty-four hours later, the BAU team was still working to identify the unsub.

“I have isolated his comfort zone,” Reid pointed to the map.

“But we still haven’t figured out his motivation or why he targeted these particular families,” Morgan pointed out.

“Or identified what triggered his spree,” Blake commented thoughtfully.

“He most likely has another family already picked out,” Rossi said. “And, we need to stop him before he manages to isolate them.”

Hotch’s cell phone rang and he quickly answered it. “Hello, Garcia. What do you have for us? And, you are on speaker,” he warned her.

“Okay, my most favorite superheroes,” her voice came through the phone. “I just want to let you know that I have completed examining all available records for all three families, and I am still at a loss. That is a small area, so they did frequent the same stores and travel the same roads, but as for personal interactions, I can’t find anything.”

“Did they all maybe purchase a particular item regularly at one of the stores they frequent?” JJ asked.

“Well, families #1 and #3 both apparently use the same brand of laundry detergent,” Garcia volunteered. “While families #2 and #3 use the same toothpaste. But I don’t think that is enough to get them killed.”

“It’s close to Christmas,” Rossi was thinking aloud. “And they all had children. What about toys or games? And, not just locally. Look to see what they may have purchased on line, too.”

“Kids and Christmas and toys – Got you!” Garcia replied. “Let me see what I can find and get back to you.” She signed off.

“What are you thinking, Rossi?” Blake asked.

“Every year there is some toy or game that the religious zealots take exception to,” Rossi replied slowly. “I don’t know what this year’s target is, but we need to find out whether that is what is behind these murders.”

“Well, there is a chain store within the comfort zone that sells toys and games,” Reid pointed to a spot on the map. “However, if the purchases were made with cash there wouldn’t be any trail.”

Rossi’s cell phone rang and he automatically opened it and answered, “Rossi.”

“Al?” he questioned, surprised.

“Slow down – Slow down!” he said. “Now, before you start blaming yourself, why don’t you tell me exactly what happened?”

“It’s Emma, isn’t it?” Reid questioned loudly. “Is she alright?”

Rossi covered the phone with his hand. “Just a minute,” he told the young agent. “Let me find out what Al has to say.”

“It’s Emma, I know it’s Emma!” Reid repeated loudly as he rushed across the room. “Let me talk with him!” He reached out to try to grab the phone.

“Okay, Okay,” Rossi replied as he twisted to maintain possession of the phone. “Let me see about putting this on speaker. Al, are you okay with that?”

“No problem,” the voice came through the phone’s speaker. “That way I’ll only have to say this once. And, let me begin by saying that I take full responsibility.”

“Why don’t you just tell us what happened?” JJ suggested.

“I was taking Emma over to the university library,” Al began. “And, knowing that the doctor has told her to stay off her feet as much as possible, I dropped her off as close to the door as I could get before proceeding to the parking lot to leave the car. I surveyed the area first, and didn’t see anyone loitering there, so I felt confident that she would be all right going into the building by herself.”

“There was someone there,” Blake guessed.

“I don’t know where they came from,” Al continued. “I hadn’t gone far when I saw the two of them in my rear view mirror, approaching Emma. I immediately stopped the car where it was, got out, and started running in her direction.”

“What did Emma do?” Reid demanded.

“Well, she hadn’t started up the stairs yet, so she was still on flat ground,” Al explained. “And, you know that purse she carries with the long shoulder strap?”

“Yes,” Rossi told him. “I always tease her about what she has packed in there.”

“She only swung it once,” Al reported. “But she managed to clock the guy up along side the head. He dropped like a rock. Then she turned on the woman and kneed her in the – Well let’s just say it’s a good thing she’s not a man.”

“Oh No!” Morgan grimaced while trying hard not to laugh. “Remind me never to get in a fight with her!”

“Some other people who were in the area saw what was going on and rushed over to help Emma,” Al continued. “However, somehow, in all the confusion, the assailants both got away.”

“I got Emma back into the car and wanted to take her to the doctor. However, she insisted she was just fine and wanted to go back to the library. After a brief argument, I brought her home – Very much against her will! She is currently in the great room complaining to Ginny.”

“As I said, I should have been more observant and I take full responsibility,” Al concluded his report.

“She wanted to go back to the library?” Hotch asked with a chuckle.

“That sounds like the Emma I know,” Morgan added.

“Hard headed,” JJ observed with a smile.

“Determined,” Blake corrected her.

“Well, she’s not going to like it, but from now on Emma is getting a door-to-door escort,” Rossi stated. “Even if two people have to accompany her every time she leaves the house.”

“And, Al,” he added. “Don’t blame yourself. Psychopaths like those two are extremely difficult to predict. Emma is okay now and that’s all that matters.”

“Dr. Reid?” Al asked hesitantly.

“We need to get Garcia to review the security tapes from the library,” Reid began. “Maybe she can figure out where the two of them came from and where they went afterwards. Everyone has been unable to track them down and we need to find them before they really hurt my family!”

“And, Al,” he added. “Don’t blame yourself. This wasn’t your fault. The police in at least three jurisdictions, as well as the FBI, have been unable to locate those two. They are unpredictable psychopaths who are flying under the radar and no one can be expected to know what they are going to do next.”


	53. Chapter 53

 

It didn’t take the team long to identify the ‘Toy of Moral Turpitude’ that the religious zealots were currently protesting. Once the locals knew what was involved, they were able to narrow the suspect pool down considerably. And, after that, identifying and arresting the miscreant was relatively easy. Informing Emma that she was going to have a bodyguard did not go as smoothly.

“How can I do my Christmas shopping?” she demanded. “Everyone will know what I bought. And, I need to go to the university library to do research. I can’t have Al following me around through the stacks!”

“As long as the person you bought the present for doesn’t know, that’s all that matters,” Garcia patiently explained. “And, you can do a lot of your shopping on line. That way no one will know what you bought.”

“As for Al going into the library with you, he might come in handy to carry the books you need to consult,” Blake suggested. “I know there have been times when I could have used some ‘muscle’ when I was doing research.”

“Doctor Compton wants you off your feet as much as possible,” Reid pointed out. “And, if you don’t comply, he is likely to put you on bed rest.”

“Sounds to me like you don’t have a whole lot of choice in the matter,” Rossi observed dryly.

Despite her protests, Emma managed to finish her shopping and her research and settled back to enjoy the holidays. Soon, Reid and Rossi found a new surprise every time they arrived home – Freshly baked cookies, the house having been decorated (inside and out) and, Reid’s favorite, the tree having been put into its stand and positioned in the great room ready for an evening of decorating.

Hotch’s team was on ‘Stand Down’ for the week between Christmas and New Years, and most of the team members headed out of town as quickly as possible to spend the holiday with family.

“Spencer, are you sure you don’t want to go to Vegas to see your folks over the holidays?” Emma asked. “Even if it is just for a day or so? I’ll be okay here by myself.”

“NO!” was Reid’s definitive reply. “You can’t fly and I am not going to leave you here by yourself. Besides, you already mailed their gifts and we can call them up and Skype on Christmas Day.”

“If that’s what you want,” Emma replied. “Your father already called me and told me that the packages had arrived safely. I listened while he opened the small one I had packed separately and he was thrilled with the framed print of the latest ultrasound. He said he was going to put it on his desk in his office.”

“Well, I know Mom is going to enjoy the books we sent,” Reid smiled. “Even though she thinks Christmas is a government plot to separate people from their hard-earned money.’

“Not so much anymore,” Emma told him thoughtfully. “The new medication she has been on has managed to eliminate most of her delusions. She is actually planning to spend Christmas Eve Day through Christmas Day with your father at his house. They are viewing it as a trial run for when they come to visit us after the babies are born.”

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

Christmas Eve afternoon and evening was dedicated to observing a long-standing Rossi family tradition. After some urging from the senior agent, Emma, Reid, and Garcia all accompanied him to family gathering at the home of one of his relatives (Emma wasn’t sure which one) where they were all warmly welcomed.

“Dave is actually introducing me to his family!” Garcia whispered to Emma. “And, no one is staring or asking for overly personal information!”

“Ginny probably already filled them in,” Emma whispered back. “I know she told everyone about Spencer and me and the twins.”

“Now, I swear, if one more person tries to feed me I am going to – “ she continued before breaking off to smile as yet another of Rossi’s female relatives approached her carrying a plate containing yet another Italian delicacy ‘For the babies’.

Promptly at 11:00 p.m., all the food was cleared off the tables and stashed in refrigerators as the entire family packed up to leave to attend Midnight Mass.

“I don’t usually participate in religious ceremonies as I consider myself to be an agnostic,” Reid commented as they walked into the cathedral where Rossi’s family worshiped. “But, as this particular date is one of the significant cornerstones of the Christian religion, I feel compelled to attend as an interested observer.”

“You do know that Dave is going to expect us to have some sort of a christening and/or naming ceremony for the babies after they are born, don’t you?” Emma replied. “So, take note of any observance we may want to incorporate into our ceremony.”

As the Christmas Eve service progressed, Emma and Reid both found themselves caught up in the solemnity of the occasion and neglected to look around at the other attendees. If they had, they would undoubtedly have noticed two people standing at the back of the sanctuary intently studying them.

“There she is - With my babies!” Moira thought angrily as she stood staring at Emma’s back. “And, ‘My Spencer’ is standing there with his arm around her!”

“They arrived with Agent Rossi,” Elliot leaned over to whisper in her ear. “That must mean they are staying with him.”

“We pretty much eliminated all the other agents in their team,” Moira agreed. “As well as their Section Chief. We do have an idea of where he lives so we can easily follow them when they leave here after the service and find out the exact address. Once we are sure, we can start figuring out how to get her and the babies out of there.”

 **“SH-H-H!!”** Several people near them hissed. So, without any further conversation, the two slipped quietly out of the church to prepare to follow Rossi’s car through the darkness to his home.


	54. Chapter 54

Christmas morning began with Rossi, Garcia, Emma, and Reid, gathered in the great room drinking coffee (with lots of sugar and cream for Reid) and hot chocolate in front of the decorated Christmas tree.

“How do you want to do this?” Rossi asked. “Eat and then gifts or gifts first?”

“Compromise!” Garcia quickly suggested. “We each open one small gift first, then we eat, and then we open the rest.”

“Please?” Emma added.

“Sounds like an idea,” Rossi agreed. “And I will go first.” He handed an envelope to Garcia and another to Emma.

“Oh Dave!” Garcia exclaimed as she examined the contents. “A day at the spa – Thank You! I have heard of this place and it is supposed to be incredible!”

“A spa?” Emma questioned as she read her matching certificate. “I have never been to one.”

“Well, this one has a special package for expectant mothers, as well as another for new mothers,” Rossi told her. “So, you can decide when you want to go.”

“You will love it!” Garcia told her. “We can get massages, and have our nails done, and our hair,” she began planning. “And, they will feed us a healthy lunch. It will be a real Girls Day Out!”

“Well, if you want to round out the group,” Rossi smiled. “I happen to know that both JJ and Blake are getting certificates, too.”

“This place isn’t going to know what hit them!” Emma declared with a smile. “Thank You, Dave!”

“Now, I’ll handle the men,” Garcia announced as she pulled out two long, flat boxes and handed one each to Rossi and Reid.

“A tie!” Reid announced as he lifted his gift out of the tissue paper.

“A hand-painted, hand-stitched, custom made for you by yours truly, tie,” Garcia corrected him.

“OH WOW!” Reid began carefully examining the fabric.

“Here, let me,” Emma took the tie from him, placed it around his neck, and began tying it for him.

“Looks – Sexy!” she purred into his ear before kissing him on it. “Especially when paired with this scruff.” She pulled away and ran the back of her hand over his cheeks where he was sporting the beginnings of a beard.

“It does look sexy,” Garcia agreed as she began tying Rossi’s tie around his neck.

“Not too sexy, I hope,” Rossi commented dryly. “I have breakfast in the oven and I would hate to see it burn up before we get around to eating it.”

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

The breakfast Rossi had prepared for them consisted of breakfast pizza with a fresh fruit compote. Emma immediately attacked the fruit.

“I am hungry!” she declared. “And, this is something that neither of you will try to stop me from eating.”

“You caloric requirements will continue increasing throughout the rest of your pregnancy,” Reid began telling her. “You will most likely do well to begin eating several small meals a day as opposed to large ones. And, you also need to concentrate on getting enough protein and fat in your –

“Reid, enough already!” Garcia interrupted him. “It is Christmas Day and Emma is allowed to eat anything she wants.”

“Thank you, Penelope,” Emma told her friend. “However, just for the record, I do intend to keep things within limits. Although – “ she paused to think.

“What?” Rossi smiled. “You have a sudden craving for something exotic?”

“Chocolate!” Emma sang out. “Dark Chocolate - I have a craving for dark chocolate!”

“Well, I do have several boxes of assorted chocolates I received from various agents and reps,” Rossi volunteered. “As well as a variety of liquors.”

“Brandy?” Emma questioned eagerly.

“Chocolates and brandy and, maybe, a stinky cigar?” Garcia teased.

“If that is what you want,” Rossi agreed with a straight face while Reid looked on, horrified.

“That is not a healthy diet for – “ he burst out.

“Spencer, we are just kidding!” Emma laughingly reassured him. “Can you imagine me trying to smoke a cigar – or anything else for that matter? I would probably end up sick as a dog!“

“A dog - That’s what you need – A dog for the babies!” Garcia declared with a smile.

“Maybe an Old English Sheepdog that they can ride like a pony,” Rossi suggested with a grin. “I’ll have to put that on my shopping list!’

“Not if you want to continue living!” Emma threatened him.

The ensuing laughter continued through the rest of their breakfast and, before long, everyone was back in front of the Christmas tree ready to resume opening gifts.

“Why don’t you start with this?” Reid asked Emma as he handed her a rectangular package.

“Me first?” Emma questioned as she looked around.

“Go ahead!” Garcia encouraged her. “I wrapped that for Reid and I want to see your face when you open it.”

“Okay,” Emma began carefully opening the wrapping paper. She soon was holding a cardboard box and she cautiously lifted the top to peer inside it.

“Spencer?” she asked as she saw an engraved wooden top.

“Let me help you,” he replied as he reached over her shoulder to lift a wooden jewelry box out of the various layers of protective wrapping.

“Oh My Gosh!” she gasped as she examined the engraving. “Spencer, this is beautiful!”

“You don’t have a real jewelry box,” he told her. “Just that old wooden box you brought from Las Vegas. And I thought you might need a nicer place to put – this.”

He handed her another, much smaller, wrapped box.

“A ring?” Emma questioned as she took the paper off and opened the hinged top.

“A Mother’s Ring,” Reid corrected her. “I didn’t have any stones put in it because we’re not really sure when the babies will arrive. But, when the time comes – “

The rest of his comment was lost as Emma enveloped him in a hug.

“Now for you, Kitten.” Rossi handed Garcia a tall, rectangular box.

“What?” After opening it, Garcia was staring at what was obviously a custom-made wooden holder of sorts, divided into compartments.

“It’s for your hair products,” Rossi explained. “Every time you stay here you have to carry your hair stuff in and out of my bathroom. I had this made to fit in a space I have emptied out for you under my bathroom sink and, as soon as the stores open after the holiday, we are going to go shopping and get you everything you need so you can leave it all here permanently. There is also a companion box for your hair decorations. And, there is a corresponding spot under my sink for that, too.”

“A space – Dave, you emptied out a space for me?” Garcia questioned, looking wide-eyed at him.

“Now,” Rossi continued. “I am not going to ask you to move in with me right now. I know you value your independence far too much and you have commitments with your various groups in the city that you need to handle; but, when the time comes – “

“Oh, Dave!” Garcia threw her arms around his neck and began kissing him.

Each of the men then received a small package with a tag reading ‘From The Twins’. When they opened their packages they each found a framed copy of the twin’s latest sonogram – Rossi’s was in a classic wooden frame while Reid’s was in a white ceramic frame decorated with pictures of Dr. Who’s Tardis – and also a matching empty frame.

“It looks like your kids know you already,” Rossi kidded the father-to-be who was smiling as he examined the Tardis decorations.

“The empty frames are so you will have matching frames for each of the babies after they are born,” Emma explained.

Reid’s favorite gift, however, was the monogrammed bathrobe Emma had had made up for him. As he tried it on, he realized that he was finally ready to part with the old, patterned, flannel robe he had spent weeks living in while he mourned Maeve.

Rossi, meanwhile, declared that he could not wait to start playing the computer game that Garcia had arranged to have designed and built for him and the two of them soon disappeared into his den, ostensibly to set it up.


	55. Chapter 55

A week later, New Year’s Eve Day dawned clear and bright.

“The last day of the old year,” Rossi commented philosophically as they sat at the breakfast table.

“Just think, at this time next year we will have two toddlers on our hands,” Emma commented. “That’s a scary thought!” She shivered and looked over at Reid who had gone pale.

“Toddlers?” he questioned.

“Well, yes,” Emma told him. “Most babies are crawling and some are actually walking by 10 months.”

Reid immediately buried his face in his hands and began shaking his head. “Oh no!” he moaned despondently. “I am so not ready for this!”

“We need to do something special to commemorate the end of this year, and to welcome in the new one,” Garcia declared. “Any suggestions?”

“What have you done in the past, Dave?” Emma asked curiously.

“Well, there have been several New Year’s Eves where I just drank until I passed out, and then came to in the new year,” Rossi told them.

“I think we will take that off the table,” Garcia commented. “Anything else?”

“In Scotland the holiday is called ‘Hogmanay’ and part of the tradition is first-footing,” Reid began. “This practice holds that the first foot to cross a threshold after midnight will predict the next year's fortune. Although the tradition varies, those deemed especially fortunate as ‘first footers’ are new brides, new mothers, those who are tall and dark or anyone born on January 1. Some cultures exchange gifts, such as the ancient Romans who exchanged gilded nuts or coins to mark the start of the new year. Other cultures – “

“Okay, hold the culture lesson,” Rossi interrupted him. “I think we are looking to plan something we can all do together in this country in this century.”

“Maybe we can start our own New Year’s Eve tradition,” Emma suggested.

“I have an idea!” Garcia squealed. “Let me check something first!” She rushed into Rossi’s den and turned on his computer.

“I thought so!” she cheered a few minutes later. “ _The Rocky Horror Picture Show_ is being shown tonight at several theatres around town. Let’s all go to a midnight showing!”

“That film is considered to be the longest running release in film history,” Reid began. “The studio has never pulled it from it’s original 1975 release and it is constantly being played somewhere.”

“Do you want to dress up?” Emma asked excitedly. “Although,” she added. “That may be a bit of a problem for the three of us.” She caressed her ever-increasing baby bump.

“We can probably get a sparkly top hat for you,” Garcia suggested. “That should be okay.”

Rossi looked at his watch. “If we need to do any shopping, we should get started now. The stores will be closing early today.”

And, so, a New Year’s Eve tradition was born.


	56. Chapter 56

It was mid-afternoon of New Year’s Day before everyone’s cell phone buzzed indicating an incoming text message.

“It appears that the unsubs are back in business,” Rossi remarked ruefully as he read his phone’s screen.

“And, they are probably still doing some pretty icky stuff,” Garcia added.

“Your go bags are both packed and ready to go,” Emma assured the two men.

“Do you want to come with us to the office?” Reid offered. “I am sure JJ and Blake would both like to see you, if only for a minute or two.”

“I’m afraid I wouldn’t have a way to get back home,” Emma pointed out. “Al and Ginny won’t be back until tomorrow and, even if I were allowed to go places by myself,” she stopped to glare at Rossi, “I don’t think I could comfortably fit behind the steering wheel to drive a car.”

“I’m sorry,” Garcia gave her a hug as she commiserated with her. “What about if I call you as soon as we get there? I can put you on the screen in the round table room and you can at least say ‘Hi!’ to everyone.”

“That sounds good,” Emma agreed with her. “And, maybe, after the team gets back from this case, everyone can come over for dinner one evening.”

“Sounds good, Kiddo,” Rossi leaned over to give her a kiss on the forehead. “And, just remember, you don’t have much longer to go.”

“Seven weeks or forty-nine days for a normal pregnancy,” Reid spoke up. “And, for an average twins pregnancy - ”

“Not that you’re counting,” Emma interrupted him with a smile.

“Now get going, all of you,” she continued. “And make sure to take your winter coats and gloves. It looks like it is getting ready to snow again.”

“I’ll set the alarm system when we leave,” Rossi told her. “But, make sure you double check it after we are gone.”

“You can check it using the app I installed on your smart phone,” Garcia reminded him with a smile. “Don’t worry, Emma will be safe!”

“Um – m – m –“ Reid began stuttering. “Don’t you need me to check on something upstairs before I go?” He looked hopefully at Emma.

“How thoughtless of me,” Emma smiled as she held out her hand. “Let’s go find something to check on.”

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

Hotch’s team began the new year by being sent out on several back-to-back cases.

“It seems that the latest fashion is for unsubs to hide out in snow drifts,” JJ commented as they got off the plane in another nameless town to face yet another cold, snowy afternoon.

“I’m from Chicago, and even I am having trouble dealing with this weather,” Morgan added as they headed towards the waiting SUVs.

“How is Emma doing with this?” Blake turned to ask Reid. “Coming from Las Vegas this has got to be hard for her.”

“She hasn’t been leaving the house a lot,” Reid replied. “Between the weather and the fact that she is getting rather – “ he hesitated, sensing that he needed to find the right word.

“Unwieldy,” Blake suggested.

“Bulky,” JJ suggested.

“Oversized,” Morgan contributed.

“Fecund,” Reid settled on. “Although, the doctor says she is within normal limits for being pregnant with twins.”

“However,” he added. “She and Ginny did go down to check on our house this morning and she said that the workmen all appear to be on schedule.” He smiled happily.

“Well, only another couple more weeks before you and I go on desk duty,” Rossi reminded him.

“And the baby watch begins,” Hotch smiled warmly.


	57. Chapter 57

The cold was beginning to let up a little when, late in the afternoon of a day in mid-January, the team finally arrived back in Quantico.

The case they had just concluded had involved an unsub who was targeting the surviving member of sets of twins, and Reid had been particularly affected by it. When the plane landed, everyone immediately pulled on their jackets and hurried down the ramp to head for home. With Rossi driving, he and Reid were soon pulling into his garage.

“Emma says she is in the great room.” Reid was reading from a text he had received on his cell phone.

“Okay, lead the way,” Rossi instructed as he followed the expectant father down the hallway.

When they walked into the great room, they found Emma lying on the couch in front of the fireplace, wrapped up in a quilt.

“You’re cold?” Rossi immediately questioned. “Let me turn up the thermostat.”

“Don’t bother, Dave,” Emma quickly replied. “I am sure the temperature in here is fine. It’s just that my internal thermostat seems to have gone totally crazy in the past few days. I thought that lying here with the gas log turned on, watching the fire, would convince my subconscious that I really am warm.”

“Is that working?” Reid asked concernedly as he bent over to kiss his wife.

“Yes and no,” Emma replied with a smile. “I am still a little chilly, but it’s not as bad as it was. And, now that you are here - ” She sat up and made room on the couch for Reid to join her.

“Okay, but if you think it will help, let me know,” Rossi told her. “It won’t hurt anything to turn up the heat.” His cell phone rang and, looking at the screen, he suppressed a profanity.

“Mustn’t swear in front of the kids,” he commented as he clicked the phone open. “Rossi.”

“Yes, Matt,” he replied. “Reid and I just now arrived home.”

“You need what?” he questioned exasperatingly. “Now? Are you sure this can’t wait until morning?”

He drew in a deep, irritated breath. “Both of us?”

“Is that Matt?” Emma threw the quilt off and carefully stood up. “Let me talk to him.” She walked over and took the phone away from Rossi, who gave it up without a murmur.

“Matt?” Emma spoke into the instrument. “Have you had dinner yet?”

She listened for a moment. “Forget the takeaway,” she told him. “Pack up whatever files you need and your laptop, bring your go bag, and come over here to Dave’s. We can all have dinner together and then you, Dave, and Spencer can go into the den and do whatever it is that needs doing. You can spend the night so you won’t have to worry about driving home afterwards.”

She listened again. “No, it is no bother,” she assured him. “Don’t argue! We will be expecting you shortly!”

Closing up the phone, she handed it back to Rossi. “Any problem with that?” she asked with a smile.

“That was a truly brilliant idea - I'm ashamed I didn’t think of it myself,” he replied with a smirk. “I assume I have time to get cleaned up before Cruz arrives?”

“Of course,” Emma told him. “Ginny left dinner for us in the warming oven so that’s no problem. And, the front guest room is all made up and ready to go. So, take your time.”

“I intend to,” Rossi commented as he headed out of the room and towards the stairs.

“And, as for you,” Emma turned around to face Reid who had walked over and was standing behind her. “Have I had a chance to tell you how much I missed you?” She reached up to put her arms around his neck.

“That is taken as a given.” He leaned over her baby bump to give her another kiss – and another - and -

“Um – m – m,” Emma broke off the latest kiss. “I think you had better head upstairs and get cleaned up before this goes any further.”

“Upstairs?” Reid questioned hopefully.

“Upstairs,” Emma gave him a light push. “By yourself! I have to get dinner set up.”

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

By the time Matt Cruz arrived, Rossi and Reid were both in the kitchen helping Emma assemble dinner.

“Something smells awfully good,” Cruz announced as he walked into the kitchen after having deposited his go bag in the guest room and his files and laptop in Rossi’s den.

“It’s all Ginny’s doing,” Emma told him. “She knew Dave and Spencer were on their way home so she made sure dinner would be ready for them when they got here.”

“That’s quite some security system you have here,” Cruz nodded towards the bank of screens mounted inside a cupboard.

“Well, I have had stalkers in the past and, as you know, Spencer and Emma still have theirs,” Rossi explained as he carried the warm bread to the table.

“They still haven’t been caught?” Cruz questioned.

“No,” Reid confirmed as he carried the salad bowl to the table. “We think Moira has probably stolen someone’s identity and is using it to hide out somewhere, along with Elliot Williams. But no one seems to be able to find them.”

“So, we have to continue constantly looking over our shoulders,” Emma explained as she handed a warm casserole to Rossi. “Al keeps checking the snow around the property, looking for unidentified footprints, and I am not allowed to go anyplace by myself.”

“Al thought he saw a strange car hanging around about a week ago,” Rossi reported as he carried the dish to the table. “But, with all the workmen coming and going up and down the road to work on their house,” he paused to nod towards Emma and Reid, “It’s hard to tell who belongs in the neighborhood and who doesn’t.”

“Now, I hope you don’t mind eating family-style in the kitchen,” Emma said as she led the way to the table.

“With something that smells as good as this does, I would be happy to eat anywhere,” Cruz replied with a smile as he followed her. “Where would you like me to sit?”


	58. Chapter 58

After dinner, Emma excused herself to go upstairs for the night. She was followed shortly afterwards by Reid, who claimed he wanted to make sure that she was safely tucked in.

“We might want to get started without Reid,” Rossi commented as Cruz began setting up his laptop in the den. “I suspect he is going to be a while.”

“Really?” Cruz glanced over at the agent. “Are they still - ?”

“I’m not really sure, but I strongly suspect something is going on,” Rossi smirked. “Our Dr. Reid seems to be wearing quite the smile these days. And, Morgan says that when we are out on a case he disappears into the bathroom each evening with his cell phone for extended periods of time.”

“Phone sex?” Cruz mussed as he went back to his laptop. “I wonder if Reid realizes how lucky he is? I know my ex – “

“Well, I don’t really care what people do in my guest rooms, as long as they don’t tear up the sheets or damage the furniture,” Rossi continued. “Besides, they are at the other end of the house from my suite.”

Cruz looked over at Rossi. “And, what about you?” he asked. “Are any of the rumors I have been hearing about you true?”

“Depends on what you are hearing,” Rossi replied noncommittally as he picked up a file and began intently studying it.

It was almost an hour before Reid joined them.

“Sorry,” he apologized. “Emma is having trouble getting to sleep these days. It seems that the babies both wait until she lies down for the night to begin kicking.”

“Boy, do I understand that,” Cruz told him with a smile. “I remember when my wife was pregnant with our third. I don’t think she slept at all for the last couple of weeks.”

Despite the fact that Rossi and Cruz had already begun working on them, the files Cruz had brought with him still took the three men several hours to complete. And then, following a nightcap, they all headed off to bed.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

When Matt Cruz woke up the next morning, he could smell fresh coffee brewing. Inhaling deeply he quickly showered and dressed, and then headed down to the kitchen where he found Rossi standing in front of the stove, making omelets.

“Dave, you don’t have to go to all this trouble,” he protested.

“No trouble at all,” Rossi assured him. “When I’m home and have the time I like to make sure that my favorite mother-to-be has a healthy breakfast. Now, what would you like in your omelet?”

“Whatever you have will be fine,” Cruz replied.

“Speaking of Emma – How is she doing?” he continued. “She looked okay last night, but is she really - ?”

“Well, we are headed for the doctor this morning,” Rossi replied as he expertly turned another omelet. “And, that will give us our definitive answer. However, as far as I can see, she is doing just fine.”

“Talking about Frick and Frack?” Emma questioned cheerfully as she joined them.

“Frick and Frack?” Cruz repeated.

“Or Eek and Meek,” Emma smiled at him. “I really can’t make up my mind.”

“I prefer Sub and Unsub myself,” Dave teased her.

“Or FBI and CIA,” Cruz quickly got into the spirit of what obviously an ongoing debate.

“You still don’t know the sexes?” he questioned.

“Nope!” Emma quickly replied. “It is going to be a complete surprise – or shock, as the case may be.”

“How did you decide how to decorate the nursery?” Cruz asked. “I know my ex-wife planned everything based on whether it was a boy or girl.”

“Penelope came up with a shade of light green,” Emma told him as she took a seat on one of the kitchen stools. “And, research has shown that green is a soothing color, so we are using that as the basis for the decor.”

“Reid is?” Rossi questioned as he began plating the omelets.

“Last spotted coming out of the shower,” Emma reported. “So, let’s sit down and start eating. He won’t be much longer and we need to be on time for my doctor’s appointment. I already texted Aaron and reminded him that the two of you are going to be late this morning.”

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

Emma was Dr. Compton’s first patient of the day, and the doctor was prepared and waiting for her, as well as for Reid who had his usual list of questions and concerns. Rossi sat to one side amusedly watching as the anxious father-to-be yet again questioned every aspect of Emma and the babies’ current state of health.

“And, you are sure there aren’t any more tests that need to be run?” Reid questioned yet again. “Maybe another ultrasound?”

“Yes, I’m sure,” the doctor replied patiently. “The only reason for doing another ultrasound at this point would be to check and see whether the babies are in the proper position to enter the birth canal and I don’t see any need for that right now. At this point, all we need to do is wait for the two of them to decide to put in an appearance.”

“Now, about a pediatrician,” Emma began. “Do you have any recommendations?”

“I will have my receptionist give you a list of doctors I have worked with in the past at the hospital where you are scheduled to deliver,” Doctor Compton told her. “You will undoubtedly want to research them and then set up an appointment to interview whoever you decide on.”

“That sounds fine,” Rossi declared as he stood up, effectively bringing the appointment to an end. “Now, I believe we need to get to the office.”


	59. Chapter 59

“Okay, what is the verdict?” Garcia demanded the minute Emma and the two men walked off the elevator and started down the ramp into the bullpen.

“Innocent until proven guilty!” Emma declared with a smile as she swirled her cape around her before sitting down in the chair next to Blake’s desk.

“You know what I mean!” Garcia scolded her. 

“You mean you want to know who is going to win the office baby pool,” Emma replied. “You want insider information.”

“Baby pool?” Reid questioned, confused. “Who is betting on what?”

“Everyone is betting on when your babies will arrive, as well as on the sexes,” JJ told him with a smile. 

“And on their birth weight,” Morgan added as he walked over to join them. “I thought you knew.”

“By the way,” Blake told Emma. “I have to tell you how much I like that cape you’re wearing. It looks really warm.”

“And practical,” JJ added. “You will be able to wear that after the babies are born as well.”

“That’s why Penelope and I picked it out,” Emma told the women. “We figured I would get lot of wear out of it.”

“Round table room everyone. We have a case!” Hotch called out as he walked out of his office and along the balcony. 

“Good morning, Emma!” he stopped and looked down into the bullpen. “Good to see you!”

“Good to see you, too, Aaron,” Emma replied. “Am I to understand that you and the team are about to leave town again?”

“Unfortunately,” Hotch replied. “However, I strongly suspect this will be the last trip for Reid and Rossi prior to their going on desk duty. How are you feeling?”

“Just fine,” Emma told him. “And the doctor agrees with me.” She glared at both Reid and Garcia.

“Any estimates of when the major event will be taking place?” Hotch asked.

“Not at the moment,” Emma smiled. “The latest report just says that both residents are getting restless.” She grimaced and put her hand on her stomach.

“Getting kicked?” JJ guessed. “I remember how it was with Henry, and I can’t begin to imagine going through that with two babies.”

“Well, the average number of fetal movements a mother can detect in an hour is 50,” Reid began authoritatively. “And, with two babies that means Emma can feel approximately – “, he trailed off and looked at Emma.

“About 100 movements,” she informed him sourly. “Want to trade places?”

“Round table room!” Hotch interrupted to remind everyone as he resumed walking along the catwalk.

“Well, Kiddo, it looks like we are going to have to leave you here,” Rossi again checked his cell phone screen. “Even though I haven’t heard from Al. He was going to bring Ginny with him when he comes to pick you up so the two of you can go grocery shopping on the way home.”

“Don’t worry,” Emma assured him. “I have a book with me and I’ll just sit here and read until I get a text from Al saying he is entering the garage.”

“Don’t worry, Agent Rossi - Dr. Reid,” Agent Anderson had walked over. “When Dr. Porter gets the text, I’ll make sure she gets down there safely.”

“Good Morning Dr. Porter,” he added with a smile. 

“It’s Emma, Grant – Remember?” she replied. 

“See, I’ll be just fine,” she told Rossi and Reid. “Now get going before Aaron has to come back out here and exercise his authority.”


	60. Chapter 60

Garcia was in the middle of presenting the case when the alarm sounded.

“What?” Reid looked up from the paper file he had been studying.

“I think that’s the ‘Agent Down’ alarm,” Blake commented. “I don’t believe I have ever heard it.”

“That is ’Agent Down’,” Rossi confirmed. “And it has been years since I’ve heard it. I didn’t think it was still in use, what with all the new security systems and all.”

“Here – In the building?” JJ questioned.

“A medical emergency, maybe?” Morgan ventured a guess.

“Let me see what I can find out,” Garcia began pushing keys on the computer terminal.

“Oh No! Oh No! Oh No!” she immediately gasped. “We all need to get down there! You all need to get down there! What is everybody doing just sitting here? We need to go - Now!”

She stood up and ran out the door towards the elevators.

“Penelope?” JJ asked, looking after her.

“Baby Girl?” Morgan questioned, astonished.

“Kitten?” Rossi walked over to where he could see the computer screen.

“What - ?” Hotch asked.

“There appears to be an agent down in the parking garage,” Rossi reported. “A lot of people are gathered around and I can’t really see them, but – Oh Shit – It’s Anderson!”

“Anderson? Where’s Emma?” Reid yelled.

“Okay, everyone calm down!” Hotch tried unsuccessfully to maintain discipline as his entire team charged out of the room. Taking a deep breath, he hurried after them.

When they got to the elevators, Garcia was still standing there repeatedly pushing the call button.

“The elevators may have been locked down as a security measure,” Blake suggested.

“Stairs!” Morgan pulled open the door to the staircase and began thundering downwards.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

When the team burst out of the stairwell into the parking garage, they saw that the doctor from the infirmary was already examining Agent Anderson, while Matt Cruz stood by watching. Other agents were busy securing the garage area and beginning their search for evidence.

“An ambulance is on the way,” Cruz informed them. “The doctor says he took quite a blow to the head, probably with that tire iron lying over there against the wall.” He nodded towards the building.

“Emma – Where’s Emma?” Reid demanded. “He was supposed to be escorting her down here to Rossi’s car!”

“And where are Al and Ginny?” Rossi added. “And my car.” He pulled out his cell phone. “We need to put out a BOLO.”

“Your car does have a tracking device on it, doesn’t it?” Garcia in her high heels had been the last to arrive.

“Yes, it does have GPS or whatever you call it,” Rossi seemed to be in a daze.

“Well, then, we can just start tracking your car,” Garcia replied as she pulled out her cell phone. “Don’t worry - We will find everyone.”

“Kevin,” she spoke into her phone. “I need to you start tracking Rossi’s car – Immediately! No – Don’t start asking questions – Just do it - NOW!”

“No ambulance – No hospital!” Anderson was regaining consciousness and trying to sit up. “Need to find – Need to find – “ He collapsed back onto the pavement.

“You need to go to the hospital,” the doctor told him. “We have to run a CT scan to check for bleeding into the brain, and we also need to check for a concussion. You took quite a blow to the head.”

“Grant,” Hotch moved to where the downed agent could see him. “Where is Emma? Can you tell me what happened?”

“Emma got a text,” the agent was speaking slowly. “Said that - had parked car so as not to disrupt traffic – Around that corner – There.” He raised his hand and pointed.

“That small area is probably out of range of the security camera covering this area,” Morgan observed as he walked in the direction indicated.

“And, if someone dressed in dark clothing had snuck around the corner and was standing in the shadows here,” JJ moved into position. “The camera wouldn’t have gotten a good look at them.”

“Okay,” Garcia walked over with her phone to her ear. “Kevin has located Rossi’s car a couple of blocks from here. But, it doesn’t seem to be moving.”

“They probably abandoned it because they had another car waiting,” Rossi surmised.

“Checking traffic cams?” Blake questioned.

“Yes, and Kevin also checked the camera covering the entrance to this garage,” Garcia reported. “According to him, it was Moira who was driving when the car came into the garage. The scan system just read the security tag and let her in. It appears that Elliot must have been hiding in the back seat.”

“He’s probably the one who got out of the car and attacked Anderson,” JJ guessed.

“Where are Al and Ginny?” Rossi worried. “I am sure they wouldn’t have given up the car without a fight.”

“I think we found Al and Ginny,” Cruz held up his phone. “Quantico PD reports that an ambulance has just been called to a service station not too far from your house. The caller indicated that there is both a man and a woman in need of medical attention.”

“How bad?” Rossi demanded.

“They didn’t say,” Cruz replied. “But we should be able to get a report on that shortly. In the meantime, we need to get a team over to where your car was abandoned.”

“Okay,” Hotch was back in charge. “JJ and I will go in the ambulance with Anderson. When he is able to talk, we will interview him. Morgan, take Blake and check out Rossi’s car. Dave, you need to liaise with the local police. Make sure that they have all the relevant information for the BOLO and that they know there is a very pregnant woman involved. We need to stop those two before they get out of the area.”

“Reid, get with Garcia and help her and Kevin with the traffic cam searches,” he continued. “We need to figure out where those two came from. That should give us an idea of where they took Emma.”

“No, Hotch!” Reid contradicted his boss. “I need to be out in the field – Looking for Emma!”

“Reid, you do know that I can’t send you out on this, don’t you?” Hotch asked him sympathetically. “You are just too close to it.”

“Agent Hotchner,” Cruz interrupted the flow of instructions. “A slight change. You will be accompanying Agent Anderson in the ambulance by yourself. Agent Jareau will be accompanying me to the hospital where Al and Ginny were taken to help me interview them. Maybe they heard or saw something that would indicate where those two are taking Emma. Afterwards, we will get with you to compare what they tell us with what Agent Anderson tells you.”

“Of course, Chief Cruz,” Hotch replied. “Now, if you will excuse me, it appears that the EMTs are loading Agent Anderson into the ambulance.” He turned and trotted over to where the ambulance was parked.

“Chief Cruz - Matt - ?? “ Reid began his plea.

“No – You heard the man,” Garcia interrupted. “You are coming with me and you are going to strain that little oversized brain of yours coming up with possible leads, and we are going to find my BFF and your babies.”

Grabbing Reid’s arm, she pulled him after her as she headed back towards the stairwell.


	61. Chapter 61

When Morgan and Blake arrived at the spot where Rossi’s car had been abandoned, they found that the local CSI team was already there, examining both the scene and the vehicle.

“A residential area,” Morgan observed as they climbed out of their SUV. “Means there likely aren’t any traffic cams.”

“Nor any residential security cameras,” Blake added. “This area doesn’t exactly scream ‘prosperous’.”

After flashing their badges at the officers guarding the scene, the two agents ducked under the crime scene tape and began walking towards the car.

“The woman who was abducted was the wife of one of your guys?” the detective in charge asked as he intercepted them.

“Yes, and she’s pretty pregnant,” Blake told him. “So, any help you can give us – “

“You can count on it!” the detective assured her. “And, feel free to look around. Let me warn you, though, my guys aren’t getting much.”

The two agents began scanning the street with its patches of hard packed ice and snow.

“Morgan, over here,” Blake called out after a few minutes.

“Didn’t Al say that he recently saw an older vehicle repeatedly driving by the house?” Blake pointed to a rather large, fresh oil spot on the snow.

“A vehicle like that would fit into this neighborhood,” Morgan observed. “No one would question it if it was parked here for a short period of time.”

“So, they attack Al and Ginny, and steal Rossi’s car,” Blake began her analysis.

“Then they drive both cars over here, park their car, and take Rossi’s car to kidnap Emma with,” Morgan continued. “They must have known or guessed that the scan tag on it would get them into our parking garage.”

“After attacking Anderson and grabbing Emma, they then come back here, transfer Emma into their vehicle, and drive off,” Blake concluded. “I bet everyone in this neighborhood works all day, so no one would have been home to see anything.”

“Now, which way did they go?” Morgan was looking up and down the street. “There are too many tire tracks in the snow to identify any one set.”

“And no trail of dripping oil,” Blake added as she stared forlornly at the street.

“However, there may be a trail of sorts leading to the service station where they hijacked Rossi’s car,” Morgan suggested. “Let’s try there.”

“You drive,” Blake told him as they headed back to the SUV. “I’ll call Hotch and Cruz and update them on where we are going.”

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

“You wanted me to come with you?” JJ asked as Cruz settled behind the wheel of the SUV.

“Yes. You have a knack for talking to people and helping them to remember things,” Cruz replied as he started the vehicle. “And, I think we have a much better chance of getting information from Al and Ginny than from Anderson. Anderson was attacked from behind and immediately knocked unconscious. He won’t be able to tell us anything. However – ”

“Al and/or Ginny may have seen or heard something that can help us,” JJ concluded as she settled into the passenger’s seat.

When they arrived at the hospital, Cruz and JJ had no problem locating the emergency room doctor who was treating both Al and Ginny.

“They were both unconscious when they arrived,” she told the agents. “Their vital signs were relatively stable and they didn’t have any signs of frostbite, so I sent them for CT scans as well as x-rays. When they come back, in about an hour, you can speak with them. That is, assuming they have regained consciousness.”

“When do you expect them to regain consciousness?” JJ asked.

“Hard to say,” was the response. “With head injuries it sometimes seems as if the body is trying to protect itself by putting everything into a holding pattern. In that situation, all we can do is wait.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” Cruz replied. “And, if it is alright, I think we will stay around for a while.”

“If that is what you want,” she responded. “I’ll make sure that the nursing staff knows to give you access to the patients.”

It wasn’t long before Al and Ginny returned from radiology and were again lying in side-by-side examination cubicles in the emergency room area.

In the meantime, the waiting room had begun filling up with Rossi relatives.

“I don’t know who all these people are,” JJ whispered to Cruz.

“They are family,” Cruz explained. “And, as such, they feel it is their responsibility to be available to provide any help or support that is needed.”

“You’re with the FBI?” a woman about JJ’s age walked over to ask the two agents.

“Yes,” Cruz confirmed. “We’re with The Behavioral Analysis Unit.”

“You know the woman who was kidnapped – Emma - The one who is going to have twins?” the woman continued.

“By the way, I’m Al and Ginny’s daughter,” she added. “And, those are my brothers over there.” She pointed to the other side of the room. “We met Emma and her husband, Spencer, at our family Christmas gathering a couple of weeks ago. She seemed really nice.”

“Yes, we know her,” JJ confirmed. “And, we are hoping that when they wake up your parents will be able to give us some help finding her.”

“When they wake up, I promise you, you will be the first to speak with them,” the woman replied. “I can’t begin to imagine what Spencer is going through right now. You know, all the kids really liked him. He did magic tricks for them.”

“That’s Spence,” JJ smiled sadly. “And, all he wants right now is to get his family back safely.”


	62. Chapter 62

“Okay, Garcia, the first thing we need to check is – “ Reid was babbling as he followed the tech into her lair.

“Dr. Reid,” Kevin spoke up from where he was sitting at one of Garcia’s computers. “I have the tapes from the security cameras at the service station where Rossi’s car was hijacked. If you would like to watch them with me maybe we can figure out where Moira and Elliot came from.”

”That’s a good idea,” Garcia agreed. “Reid, you sit right down over there next to Kevin and the two of you can go over the tapes. I can use the other computers to begin searching for – well – whatever it is I need to begin searching for.”

She steered Reid into the indicated chair and then took a seat at the other bank of computers.

“Okay,” Kevin restarted the tape. “Here is where Al and Ginny pull into the service station and park next to the pump.”

Meantime, Garcia began running several searches of her own.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

“All the local PDs have been read in,” Rossi announced a short time later as he walked into Garcia’s office. “I gave them a description of the car Al thought he saw, as well as descriptions of Moira, Elliot, and Emma. They are also heading over to interview Moira’s parents, as well as Maeve’s father.”

“Sorry, Spencer,” he added when he was the startled look on Reid’s face. “But, we can’t rule out the possibility that Moira may have contacted him.”

“I know,” Reid replied. “But, after everything he has been through, I hate to involve him in this, too.”

“Now, what have you three found out?” Rossi continued.

“Reid and I have determined which direction Moira and Elliot walked over from,” Kevin replied. “But we can’t see the vehicle they arrived in. And, unfortunately, there aren’t any traffic cams in your rural neighborhood. They waited until Ginny had gone inside the mini mart before they attacked Al, knocked him unconscious, and moved him out of sight. Then, when Ginny returned they did the same to her and stole the car.”

“That shows preplanning and patience,” Rossi observed. “They haven’t exhibited that behavior previously.”

“Unfortunately, that indicates that they have been learning and evolving,” Reid pointed out. “That will make it harder for us to track them down and find Emma.”

“And, that is not the only reason they will be hard to find,” Garcia announced. “I have been revisiting the places I already checked, trying to figure out where they could be hiding. I assume they have a place prepared to conceal Emma, so I have looked into family holdings, parklands, schools, abandoned buildings, anything I can think of. And, I keep coming up empty. I am running out of ideas.”

“Well, to help narrow it down, Moira definitely wants the babies,” Rossi was thinking out loud. “So, wherever she takes Emma will be heated and have a secure roof and walls.”

“Also utilities,” Reid added.

“Maybe not,” Kevin contributed. “They could be using propane. If they bring in the cylinders themselves, there wouldn’t be any record of deliveries. And, no one keeps track of sales of bottled water.”

“Okay, let me keep looking,” Garcia returned to her keyboard.

Rossi’s cell phone rang and, after glancing at the screen, he answered it. “Hey, Morgan. What do you have for us?”

“Okay, that’s something,” he continued the conversation. “Let me add that to our search parameters. Thanks.”

“That was Morgan,” Rossi announced as he put his phone away. “It appears that he and Blake have located where the getaway car was parked at the service station and they noticed something. At both places where the car sat for a period of time, it left behind a relatively large puddle of motor oil. They have to be putting oil into that vehicle on a regular basis.”

“Okay, we are looking for large purchases of motor oil, probably with cash,” Garcia muttered. “As well as possible purchases of propane gas cylinders or the filling up or exchange of said cylinders. Let me keep looking.”

“And, while you are doing that, let me call Cruz and check on Al and Ginny,” Rossi again took out his cell. “Hopefully they are awake and can tell us something.”


	63. Chapter 63

The dreary afternoon stretched out into evening. Garcia came up with a list of places that sold both propane gas cylinders and motor oil, and Reid and Kevin began checking for security cameras at each location. Rossi, in the meantime, was again speaking with the local police.

“Go on television and issue a public appeal?” he repeated the question. “That is a possibility. However, we don’t want to spook these two. Currently, we are working on the assumption that they want to keep Dr. Porter alive at least until the babies are born. However, we aren’t sure how mentally stable they are and something like that could force them into taking drastic action.”

“I appreciate that you’re keeping us updated,” he concluded the call. “And, if you can remind your guys to continue keeping their eyes open, that would be great – Thanks!”

“It’s late,” he observed as he closed up his phone. “The others are over in the round table room. Let’s head over there and see what they have found out.”

“Anderson couldn’t tell me anything,” Hotch was telling the group as Rossi, Reid, Garcia, and Kevin walked in. “However, the doctor assures me that there isn’t any permanent damage and he will be getting out of the hospital tomorrow morning.”

“Al and Ginny couldn’t tell us anything either,” JJ said. “They didn’t see where their attackers came from and they didn’t hear any conversation between the two of them.”

“However, their doctor also assured me that they will both be okay and will be released within the next twenty-four hours,” Cruz added.

“Their car is definitely leaking a lot of oil,” Morgan observed.

“But not in a way that leaves a trail we can follow,” was Blake’s contribution.

“And the CSI group hasn’t discovered anything in my car,” Rossi announced. “So that is another dead end.”

“Garcia?” Morgan asked hopefully.

“Nada,” she replied despondently. “It doesn’t appear that those two have left a trail anywhere – At least not under their own names.”

“We have been trying to trace cash purchases of both motor oil and propane gas and then match them with security camera footage, but we haven’t had any luck there either,” Kevin added.

 **“WHERE IS MY WIFE?”** Reid suddenly burst out. **“WHERE IS EMMA? WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE BEST TEAM THERE IS, AND WE CAN’T FIND HER?”**

“Calm down, Spencer,” Cruz told him.

 **“NO!”** Reid yelled. **“I WILL NOT CALM DOWN! WITH ALL OUR EXPERTISE WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND A PREGNANT WOMAN!”**

“You are tired and stressed out,” Rossi spoke up. “You need to lie down for a while to rest and rethink things.”

“Let me take you back to my office,” Garcia offered. “You can use the couch there to rest for a few minutes.”

“NO!” Reid protested.

“YES!” Garcia countered as she grabbed his arm and pulled him out of his chair. “Genius or no genius, you are coming with me!”

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

 

Not far from Quantico, in a cellar room which had been outfitted with a propane space heater and a pile of straw, Emma drew a deep breath and pulled her cape closer around her as she tried hard to think positive thoughts. She might be chained to a wall and hungry, but she knew that Spencer and the team were undoubtedly out looking for her, and she had faith in their ability to find her. Maybe, if she could get some sleep, she would feel better in the morning. The babies seemed to be unusually restless tonight. They undoubtedly were sensing her worry and reacting in the only way they knew how.


	64. Chapter 64

“Garcia? Penelope?” It was early the next morning when Blake hesitantly poked her head into the computer tech’s lair.

“Enter into my Den of Despair, Oh Intrepid Searcher For My Missing BFF,” Garcia called out softy. “But be quiet – Genius sleeping.”

“Spencer is sleeping?” Blake questioned. “How did you manage that?”

“I think it has something to do with the ‘wee dram’ Dave administered a while back,” Garcia confessed. “And, as much as I abhor clandestinely drugging someone, I think that in this case it was justified. My favorite genius was just too stressed out.”

“I agree,” Blake told her. “And, now, I have a question for you.”

“Ask away,” Garcia challenged her. “Hopefully, it will cover something I haven’t already thought of and researched.”

“You said that Moira was from around here?” Blake began.

“Yes, on both sides of her family,” Garcia agreed. “And, I already checked all the property records. Her grandparents on her father’s side owned a bungalow that was sold after their deaths. It, along with several adjoining houses, was torn down about fifteen years ago and some condos were built on the property. None of the owners of said condos appear to be related to Moira.”

“Her mother’s parents?” Blake questioned.

“A farm, not too far from where Rossi lives,” was the reply. “And, before you ask, the house and barns were torn down about twenty years ago. The developer then divided the land into half-acre lots. The lots have all been sold, and the houses that were built on them are ones that I can only dream about living in. Again, none of the owners appears to be related to Moira.”

“Was there any acreage preserved as parkland?” Blake asked.

“A small area.” Garcia pulled up a plot map on her computer screen. “But I checked and there are not now nor have there ever been any structures there. The house and barns were located at the other end of the property.”

“What about the adjoining farm?” Blake pointed to a spot on the screen. “I assume that this area was at one time another farm, even though it too appears to have been subdivided.”

 **“HOLY SH – !“** Garcia placed a hand over her mouth as she glanced over at the sleeping Reid. “Let’s get into the round table room where I can put this up on the larger flat screen. You need to call Hotch and everybody. I think we found something!”

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

“Okay,” Hotch was standing at the front of the room. “We all agree that this is something that needs to be checked out.”

“From what we can see on the satellite photo, the cellar from the farmhouse on the property adjoining Moira’s grandparents’ farm appears to be intact,” Morgan observed.

“It’s located in a relatively isolated corner of the parkland that the developer left,” JJ added. “It would be easy for someone to move into it and remain unobserved.”

“Moira would have been familiar with that area since it bordered on her grandparents’ farm,” Rossi observed. “And, I should have thought of it myself since it’s not too far from my house. I know that park is there – I have been there!”

“Don’t beat yourself up, Dave,” Hotch told him. “You had no idea of where Moira’s grandparents lived.”

“Now that the sun is up, we can go over there and check whether any traffic has been going in and out of the area,” Blake suggested. “With all the different patches of melted ice and snow, it is difficult to tell from the satellite photo if there are any tire tracks.”

“Okay,” Hotch made his decision. “JJ and I will go in the first vehicle. Morgan, you and Blake can follow in the second. Rossi, call the locals and let them know where we are going. We can call them for back-up if we need them after we arrive. Also, we’ll call you and Garcia and let you know whether you need to wake Reid up and bring him over.”

“What about Matt Cruz?” JJ asked. “He has been taking an active part in our investigation.”

“I’ll call him and bring him up to speed,” Hotch replied. “We can make arrangements if he wants to join us.”

“Of course I want to join you!” Cruz was adamant. “If there is any chance at all that you are going to find Emma, I want to be there when you do. Have Garcia send the coordinates to my phone and I will be right behind you!”


	65. Chapter 65

When the three black SUVs arrived at the entrance to the small park, they stopped and everyone got out to survey the area.

“It does look like someone has been driving in and out of here,” Blake pointed to tire tracks leading up to the chain which had been put in place to block the drive during the winter.

“And, here is the infamous oil spot,” Morgan added. “They must have stopped the car here every time they took the chain down.”

“And, again, on the other side while they replaced it,” Blake pointed further down the roadway.

“Let’s open the chain so we can drive in closer,” Hotch instructed. “From the looks of it, we should be able to get within a hundred feet or so of the cellar entrance before we have to get out and go in on foot.”

The three SUVs were soon parked off to the left of what was obviously a well-used door leading into the cellar. The agents could see footprints in the snow leading into and out of the door, and they could see where the old, beat-up car was parked behind some bushes on the other side of the clearing. 

“How do you want to handle this?” Cruz asked. 

“It appears that there is only one way in and out,” Morgan observed. “That limits our options.”

“We could just go up, knock on the door, and ask if they ordered a pizza,” JJ suggested. “Sometimes the easiest way is the best.”

“Wait a minute,” Hotch held his hand up. “I think the door is opening.”

As the agents watched quietly, the door into the cellar flew open and Elliot Williams hurried out, headed towards the car.

“No weapon that I can see,” Cruz observed.

“He never has used a firearm,” JJ pointed out.

“Now!” Hotch ordered. “Morgan – Blake - Grab him now!”

Without hesitating, Morgan and Blake charged across the clearing.

“Elliot Williams,” Morgan called out as they ran. “FBI - You are under arrest! Stop where you are and put your hands in the air.”

The young man immediately stopped, put his hands up, and turned around to face the agents. 

“You need to get in there now,” he called out. “I don’t know what is wrong with her. She needs help!”

“Who needs help?” Blake grabbed the man and began putting handcuffs on him.

“Moira,” he replied. “She’s talking funny and saying that her head hurts and that she can’t see straight.”

“What about Emma?” Morgan demanded. “Is she in there too?”

“All the way at the back,” was the response. “Moira has an area set up for her. And, she doesn’t look too good either.

“Okay,” Hotch pulled out his cell phone. “Let me call the locals and let them know what is going on. I’ll get them to send out several ambulances as well as some of their men.”

As he was dialing his cell, another black SUV pulled into the area and parked next to theirs. “What the - ?” he began.

“Anderson!” JJ exclaimed as the agent climbed out of the vehicle. “What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be home in bed?”

“They released me from the hospital,” Agent Anderson replied. “And, when I called Garcia asking for an update, she told me you were all out here. I had to come. If you want, I will stay back here, but I have to be here. Emma was my responsibility.”

“Okay. There’s no time to argue,” Cruz told him. “You stay out here and direct the locals when they arrive. Their first order of business will be to take – him,” he pointed to Elliot Williams, “Into custody.”

“No problem,” Anderson assured Cruz as he pulled out his weapon, walked over, and took change of the prisoner.

“Thanks, Man,” Morgan told him with a smile. “He’s all yours.”


	66. Chapter 66

“I assume the door is unlocked,” JJ commented as she and Hotch stood, weapons at the ready, on either side of the cellar door.

“Let’s do this,” he replied as he put his hand out and cautiously turned the doorknob. Slowly he pushed the door open.

“Moira Donovan, FBI!” JJ called out. “We are coming in!”

The only response they got was a low moan. So, with Hotch in the lead, the five agents cautiously began creeping down the steps.

“Moira Donovan – Are you in here?” Hotch called out when he reached the bottom. No response.

Looking around, they found themselves in a large underground room lit by several gas lanterns. Boxes of food and bottled water, as well as several propane tanks, lined the walls.

“Kevin was right about no utilities,” Blake observed as they spread out to canvas the area.

“Over here,” Cruz called out as he crouched next to a woman lying on the dirt floor in the shadows of the far corner.

“Unconscious,” he added as he raised her eyelids to check. “Dilated pupils and a very weak pulse,” he added. “At this point, I don’t think there is much that we can do.” He shook his head sadly.

“Let me check on that ambulance.” Hotch took out his cell phone and tried to use it.

“Have to go outside,” he commented. “Morgan, you and Blake start checking what is behind that door at the back of this room. If what Elliot told us is right, Emma should be back there.” He climbed the stairs to the outside.

“Right, Hotch,” Morgan began examining the padlock on the door.

“We need bolt cutters,” Blake commented.

“No time for that,” Morgan replied, taking a step backwards. “Cover your ears!” Taking careful aim, he shot the lock off the door.

“Emma!” Morgan called out as he turned on his flashlight and then began leading the way down the narrow tunnel. “Emma?”

“Morgan?” the woman’s voice echoed down the tunnel. “Morgan – Is that you?”

“I’ve got her,” Morgan spoke into his microphone. “Hotch, call Reid and get him over here. I have Emma!”

“We’re coming!” Blake called out. “Emma – We’re coming!”


	67. Chapter 67

The small room Morgan and Blake found at the end of the tunnel was dimly lit by a battery-operated lantern and heated by a propane heater, which had been mounted high up on a wall. Emma, wrapped in her cape, was half-laying, half-sitting on a pile of straw in the center of the room, waiting for them.

“This door wasn’t locked,” Blake commented in surprise as she walked into the room.

“That’s because I am,” Emma held her arm up to show that she was fastened to the wall by a chain. “OH – OH!” She ended with a near scream.

“Okay, let’s get this off you and get you out of here,” Morgan began examining the apparatus. “I think this needs a key to open it,” he observed.

“Okay with the first, maybe we had better wait with the second,” Emma was gritting her teeth as she doubled over in pain. “OH – OH – OH!”

“Emma, are you in labor?” Blake demanded.

“I may be an amateur at this, but I do believe I have two very impatient babies on the way!” Emma replied with a grimace.

“Has your water broken?” Blake questioned.

“A while ago,” Emma admitted. “Maybe an hour or more – I don’t really know. I can’t tell time down here because I can’t see outside. I have been trying to hide the pains because I didn’t know what the two of them would do once they found out. However, O-O -W-W-W – “

“They are coming quicker by the minute,” she added unnecessarily as she lay down on the straw.

“Hotch, we may have a problem – “ Morgan spoke into his microphone. “It appears that Emma is in labor.”

“Get JJ down here!” Blake ordered.

“I’m right here,” JJ’s voice came from the doorway. “What do you need me to do?”

“Help me here. I need to check how dilated she is.” Blake expertly positioned Emma on her back and then began raising her knees and spreading her legs apart. “Move that lantern over here so I can see. And, Morgan, move up there by her head and let her hold your hand. Emma, when the pains come, squeeze Morgan’s hand - Hard.”

“Okay,” JJ moved the lantern into position while Morgan gave Emma his hand, and immediately winced as she squeezed and yelled simultaneously.

“Oh Boy!” Blake exclaimed. “You are almost completely dilated - We don’t have long now. Morgan, give me your shirt!”

“What?” Morgan blinked at her.

“I need something to wrap the baby in – Or rather the first baby,” Blake explained. “I also need something to cut the cords. Do either of you have a knife?”

“I do,” JJ volunteered, taking a knife out of her pocket.

“I’ll also need something to tie the cords,” Blake continued. “Morgan, can you turn your microphone back on?”

“Okay,” Morgan paused in taking off his vest and pushed the button. “Hotch? Blake needs to talk with you”

“Hotch,” Blake called out. “I need your shirt to wrap the second baby in. We also need two shoelaces to tie the cords with and some of those alcohol prep pads from the first aid kit in the SUV. These babies aren’t going to wait.”

“Do you need me to bring all that down there?” Hotch offered.

“No, JJ is on her way out to get them,” Blake assured him as she nodded at JJ. “And, I assume Spencer is on his way.”

“Dave is driving him,” Hotch responded. “But they are still a ways out. There are also two ambulances on the way.”

“Okay, JJ is on her way out to pick up the supplies,” Blake repeated as Emma again screamed.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

When JJ got back to the main room, Hotch already had his shirt off, while Anderson was kneeling on the floor taking the laces out of his shoes.

“Here,” Hotch handed his shirt to JJ. “Cruz is outside getting the alcohol pads out of the first aid kit in the SUV.”

“Here you go with these,” Anderson straightened up and handed over his shoelaces. “Do you need one of the lanterns?” He gestured towards the propane lights sitting around the room.

“A battery operated lantern would probably be better,” JJ told him as she took the laces. “Do you see any around here?”

“Alcohol pads,” Cruz sang out as he burst through the door. “I didn’t know how many you will need, so I raided the kits in all three vehicles.”

“I don’t know either,” JJ confessed. “So I will just take as many as you have.”

“And,” she glanced uneasily over at the far side of the floor where Moira’s body lay, covered with a blanket. “There should be some keys around here. Emma is chained to the wall.”

“Okay,” Hotch and Cruz exchanged looks before both striding over to the body and lifting the blanket.

“Keys!” Cruz called out after a few minutes, and held them up.

“Battery lantern – And it appears to be working,” Anderson called out from the other corner of the room where he had been rummaging through some boxes.

“Here you go,” he carried it over to JJ.

“Do you need help carrying all of that?” he offered.

“Thanks, Grant,” JJ replied. “But I think Emma probably doesn’t want a whole lot of people seeing her right now. From what I remember when I had Henry, it is not a pretty sight.”

“It isn’t,” Cruz confirmed as he handed over the key ring. “And, if she is anything like my ex-wife, at the moment she is probably unhappy with the world in general and loudly letting everybody know about know it.”

“Spence?” JJ asked as she juggled the items.

“He and Dave are about 15 minutes out,” Hotch reported. “And, the ambulances are not quite 10 minutes out.”

“All right,” JJ headed back into the tunnel. “Send them down when they get here!”


	68. Chapter 68

“Do you know that a study was made of what women yell, scream, and complain about **during LABOR?”** Emma’s comment to Blake again ended with another scream.

“You are starting to sound like Spencer,” Blake commented dryly. She glanced up at JJ as she hurried into the room with her arms full.

“You have everything?” she asked.

“Sure do,” JJ replied as she placed everything on the floor. “Including another battery operated lantern. Now, after I position it I assume you want me to use the alcohol pads to sterilize the knife?”

“Here,” she handed Morgan the key ring. “I don’t think we want these babies being born to a mother who is chained to a wall.”

“Thanks.” Morgan took the keys and immediately began sorting through them, looking for a likely candidate.

“And, yes to sterilizing the knife,” Blake responded. “And be quick. I can see a head here. Emma, my dear, it is time to start pushing.”

“Try to stop **ME**!” Emma panted. “Morgan – Where is your hand?”

“Opening the lock,” he replied promptly. “Now, bring your arm down, wiggle your fingers, and bend your elbow. The feeling should come back fairly quickly. You can then use both of your hands to mangle mine.”

“PUSH – Okay, again - PUSH!” Blake ordered.

“And, we have a baby!” she announced a minute later. “JJ, the knife - And, Morgan, call the time.”

“What?” Morgan asked confused.

“The time,” JJ repeated as she handed her sterilized knife to Blake. “Take a look at that fancy watch Savannah got you for Christmas and tell us the time. It needs to go on the birth certificate.”

“Oh – Okay – 9:52 a.m.,” Morgan called out.

With JJ’s help, Blake quickly got the umbilical cord cut and tied, and the baby wrapped up in Morgan’s shirt. As JJ carefully placed the newborn on Emma’s chest where she could see it, Blake checked to see what kind of progress the second baby was making.

“Oh My Gosh!” she gasped. “Emma, are you still having contractions?”

“They never stopped!” Emma spit out. “I thought that was normal.”

“Well, I have never been involved in the delivery of twins,” Blake declared. “But, it looks to me like this second baby isn’t wasting any time – JJ – “

“Right here,” JJ replied picking up Hotch’s shirt. “I think this case of sibling rivalry is off to a roaring start! And, Morgan, keep an eye on your watch!”


	69. Chapter 69

Blake had just finished cutting the second baby’s cord when an unfamiliar set of voices was heard echoing down the tunnel from the main room.

“I think help has arrived,” JJ commented as she securely wrapped the second newborn in Hotch’s shirt.

“Better late than never,” Blake commented dryly as she rearranged Emma’s legs and decorously covered them with her cape. “Morgan – Time?”

“10:02 a.m.,” was his response as the first EMT appeared in the doorway.

“I understand we have some babies in here,” the woman declared cheerfully as she popped through the door and into the room.

“Two, to be exact,” Blake responded. “Plus, an exhausted mother.”

“You two certainly seem to know what you are doing,” the second EMT commented as he peeked in from the doorway.

“The Doctors Without Borders Midwifery Course,” Blake explained.

“And person experience,” JJ added as she carefully placed the second baby on Emma’s stomach.

“Now, both babies have good color and steady pulses and are breathing freely on their own,” Blake continued. “As a guess, I would give them an APGAR score of between 8 and 10.”

“Good enough for me,” was the cheerful response. “Now, why don’t you two ladies carry the babies back out into the main room so my partner and I can do a quick clean up and exam before taking them to the hospital?”

“Emma?” Morgan questioned.

“The second EMT crew is just behind us and will be handling her,” the male EMT explained. “They will probably have to physically carry her out of here and then, when they get her to the main room, put her on a board so they can move her outside to the ambulance for transport.”

“Oh No!” Morgan told them. “ **I** will be carrying Emma out to the main room.”

“Derek!” Emma protested weakly. “Are you sure?”

“We have been down this road before, Mama,” Morgan declared. “A little thing like you is hardly going to strain me. Now, Blake and JJ, why don’t you two get going? Once you are out of the tunnel, I’ll follow with Emma.”

“Follow me,” the male EMT invited them as he turned and began leading the way.

“And I will bring up the rear,” the female EMT declared.

Morgan was wrapping Emma’s cape securely around her when the second team of EMTs arrived in the small room.

“I understand we have one new mother for transport,” the first one through the door declared. “And, the others were right, this is a very tight space to move her through.”

“I’ll get her as far as the main room. After that, it’s up to you,” Morgan told him.

“That should work,” the second EMT observed. “Ma’am, is that okay with you?”

“It’s Doctor,” Morgan automatically responded as he carefully stood up with Emma in his arms.

“What?” the EMT was confused.

“This woman is Doctor Porter,” Morgan enunciated clearly. “And nobody, other than me, is going to carry her out of here! She is my best friend’s wife and I am not about to let anybody else do this. Now, it would probably be a good idea if you two got out of my way.”


	70. Chapter 70

When Morgan carried Emma into the main room of the cellar, he immediately noticed that several boxes had been moved to block the view of the blanket-covered body lying on the far side of the room.

“Why don’t you put Dr. Porter down here on the board?” the EMT who had been leading the way gestured towards the floor. “Then I can do a quick exam before we take her out to the ambulance we have waiting for her.”

“Both babies seem to be in excellent condition.” Morgan could hear a cheerful female voice declare from the table in the middle of the room. “Let’s get them wrapped up in some warm blankets and then you two honorary midwives can give us a hand carrying them out to the ambulance.”

The door suddenly flew opening letting a sudden gust of fresh air into the room, along with a disheveled, distraught agent.

“Emma!” Reid’s voice echoed through the room. “Emma?”

He stumbled down the stairs into the room and then stopped short, staring at Blake and JJ as they stood in front of him, each holding a baby.

“Are those mine?” he blurted out.

“That’s what Emma keeps telling us!” Blake declared with a smile.

“Do you want to see?” JJ offered as she turned so he could see the miniature, wrinkled face.

“They are so tiny!!” Reid exclaimed as he reached out to run his finger down the side of the newborn’s red face.

“As a rule, newborn twins are smaller than newborn single births,” Hotch began with a smirk. “They average 5.5 lbs while a single birth baby – “

“Hotch, stop teasing Spence,” JJ interrupted him.

“They are okay?” Reid questioned anxiously.

“As far as we can tell,” the female EMT told him. “We are getting ready to take them to the hospital for confirmation.”

“Spencer!” Emma called out from where she was lying on the floor. “Do you see them? Spencer - “ She broke off and began sobbing.

“What?” Reid asked, confused. “Is something wrong? Are these - ?” He looked over at Blake and JJ for guidance.

“They are good tears,” Blake immediately assured him. “She’s glad to see you and needs your reassurance that everything is all right.”

“Everything is all right, isn’t it?” Reid questioned the EMT who was examining Emma.

“It does appear that there is some bleeding,” was the careful response. “I can’t tell if it is from afterbirth that still hasn’t been expelled or whether some tissue has been torn. I am going to pack it and then we will call ahead and tell the hospital so they can make sure to check it when we arrive.”

“We are ready to go here,” the female EMT called out. “Are you two ready with the babies?”

Reid looked between the babies and Emma. “I don’t know – I want to – but “ he began babbling.

“Spence,” JJ spoke up. “Blake and I will go with the babies. We’ll keep an eye on everything and I promise you we won’t let them out of our sight. You stay here and come with Emma in the second ambulance. We’ll all end up in the same place.”

“Don’t worry about anything,” Rossi told Reid as he walked into the room closing up his cell phone. “I just spoke with Garcia. She has called Emma’s doctor and has also spoken with the pediatrician on call at the hospital. And, she is already at the emergency room filling out paperwork. She says that by the time you arrive, everything will be in order.”

“Okay – Emma?” Reid turned to look at his wife.

“Okay,” she agreed tiredly.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

Rossi was standing outside the cellar door watching as the ambulance carrying Emma and Reid left on its way to the hospital when he sensed, rather than saw, someone walk over and stand next to him. Glancing over, he saw it was Cruz.

“Dave?” the man asked. “Do you have something in your eye?”

“Yeah – A piece of dirt or something,” Rossi agreed as he made a wiping motion at the corner of his left eye and then took out his handkerchief to blow his nose.

“Yeah – I can understand that,” Cruz smiled at him. “Two healthy babies don’t happen every day; particularly under these circumstances. Ready for a ride to the hospital? I’m driving.” He held up the keys to the SUV.

“Good idea,” Rossi agreed looking around. “What about Hotch and Morgan? And, did I see Anderson around here?”

“Anderson came right over the minute he was released from the hospital,” Cruz reported. “He is currently briefing the locals and, when he is done with that, will probably be joining us at the hospital. Hotch is looking for Morgan and will be giving him a ride over. Okay?”

“Yeah, let’s go.” Rossi headed towards their vehicles.

It didn’t take Hotch long to locate Morgan - He just followed the sound of retching. After waiting patiently, he handed the green-tinged agent a bottle of water as he emerged from behind a stand of bushes.

“Feeling better?” he asked.

“Hotch, I saw parts of Reid’s wife I never should be seeing,” Morgan groaned as he accepted the bottle.

“Rather scary isn’t it?” Hotch asked with a small smile. “And, at the same time, rather wonderful.”

“How can women do it?” Morgan wondered as he took a mouthful of water. “And, she did it twice, one right after the other.”

“Emma is quite the amazing lady,” Hotch agreed. “Now, are you ready to go to the hospital to check on her and the babies?”

“Agent Hotchner?” Anderson walked over. “The crime scene has been secured and the locals have been briefed. The coroner just arrived and is getting started on Moira. The lead detective and the coroner both have your number and instructions to keep you updated on their findings.”

“Good work,” Hotch praised him. “Now, would you care to join us at the hospital?”

“I’ll be right behind you!” Anderson assured him.


	71. Chapter 71

When Hotch and Morgan walked into the emergency room waiting area, the first thing they saw was a butterfly-hued Garcia sitting and talking with Rossi.

“Good, you’re here,” she sprang to her feet when she saw them. “I have a clean scrubs shirt for you, Sir, and also one for Morgan. I understand both of you gave the shirts off your backs to the babies.”

“Everything appears to be under control,” Rossi also stood up. “Blake and JJ are with the babies and Reid is with Emma. Cruz is speaking with the hospital administrators to make sure they understand the situation.”

“The nurses keep assuring me that everyone is okay,” Garcia added as she handed each man a shirt. “And I can’t wait to see the babies – Have you seen the babies?”

“Just in passing,” Hotch assured her with a smile. “Although I did hear the EMTs say that they both appear to be in good health.”

“I just love babies!” Garcia declared enthusiastically as the door leading to the emergency room opened and JJ and Blake emerged, both dressed in new scrubs.

“Both babies have been cleaned up and cleared by the pediatrician on call,” Blake announced happily.

“They are a little on the small side,” JJ contributed. “But, as you know,” she glared at Hotch. “That is normal for twins.”

“They are now headed to the nursery to be put under the warming lights as a precautionary measure,” Blake concluded her report. “You should be able to see them through the window in just a few minutes.”

“And,” JJ preened. “Blake and I have both been declared honorary midwives. The staff here has assured us that we are welcome back anytime!”

“We can see the babies?” Garcia squealed. “Come on Dave – Let’s go!” She began pulling him towards the elevator.

Rossi smiled indulgently as he allowed himself to be pulled across the waiting room area and into the elevator. He then took a deep breath. “ _Bella_ , we need to have a talk!” he declared as the elevator door closed.

“What about you?” Morgan asked the women as he pulled the clean shirt over his head. “Are you headed upstairs?”

“No,” JJ told him seriously. “I’m going to wait here for Spence. From what I could overhear, he was giving the doctor quite a hard time, and it sounded like he was using his ‘I am a Doctor’ line.” She sat down in the chair Garcia had just vacated.

“How was that working?” Morgan asked curiously.

“Not well,” JJ reported. “I think they are on to him.”

“I’m worried about Emma,” Blake confessed. “I don’t know a whole lot about delivering twins, this is the first time I have done it, but it just seemed to me that there was more blood than there should be.” She sat down next to JJ.

“You?” Morgan asked Hotch.

“The wife of one of my agents is in there,” Hotch nodded towards the emergency room. “And I’m not leaving here until I am sure she is okay.” He pulled his clean shirt on over his head before also taking a seat.

“Relax, Dr. Reid,” the nurse’s voice preceded their entrance into the waiting area. “I will let you know just as soon as your wife is out of the operating room.”

“But, I want to go in there with her!” Reid insisted as he was being led (pulled) into the waiting area. “After all, I am a doctor!”

“Not that kind of a doctor,” was the firm reply as the nurse propelled him towards the chairs.

“Don’t worry, we’ll take it from here,” Hotch stood up and took possession of his flustered agent.

“What is the situation?” Blake asked.

“Emma is still bleeding,” Reid began. “And, they are taking her to the operating room to find out what the problem is.”

“And we will keep you updated on her progress,” the nurse declared firmly as she headed back into the emergency room.


	72. Chapter 72

That evening, Emma was sitting up in her hospital bed cuddling one baby while Reid sat on the edge of the bed next to her, holding the other newborn. They were laughing and talking quietly when they heard the procession approaching down the hallway.

“I think we have been found,” Emma commented with a smile at her husband.

“We were lost?” Reid asked, confused. “Matt Cruz knows where we are. He’s the one who made the arrangements for you to have this large, private room. And, Rossi knows. He had all these flowers delivered and the comfortable furniture moved in and - ”

“It’s just a figure of speech, Spencer,” Emma told him as the door to her hospital room burst open and the team flooded into the room.

“Girlfriend, how are you?” Garcia rushed over to crush Emma in a hug. “I was so worried about you!”

“Oh – The Babies!” she squealed delightedly as she turned to greet Reid. 

“How are you doing?” Blake asked the new mother. “It sounded like you had a bit of a problem.”

“Just a piece of the afterbirth that got caught sideways and couldn’t make it out on its own,” Emma assured her. “And, because it hadn’t parted cleanly from the uterine wall, there was a bit of bleeding. But, I am just fine now. The doctor does, however, want to keep me here for an extra day or two to check for infection and to make sure everything heals properly.”

“You are okay, Kiddo?” Rossi persisted as leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek.

“Good as new – Almost,” Emma assured him. “And what about you – hum-m m -?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Rossi tried hard to look innocent.

“I recognize that ring!” Emma declared, pointing at Garcia’s left hand. “I have some very fond memories of it!”

“Garcia? Rossi?” Blake questioned. “Really? Finally!!!!”

“It took you long enough!” JJ declared.

“You used the same ring?” Morgan questioned.

“Well, I never really wore it,” Emma explained. “It doesn’t fit my lifestyle. And, since I suspect Penelope is the one who picked it out to begin with, I thought it only fair that she should get it back.”

“Yes!” Garcia declared as she held her lefthand up for all to admire. “He asked and I said YES!”

“Dave?” Cruz questioned, looking over at the senior agent. “A fourth time?”

“Well, she likes babies and I like babies,” Rossi explained with a smirk. “So – “

“Penelope – You aren’t - ? “JJ let the question hang.

“Not yet,” Garcia assured her. “However, just give us some time!” She smiled happily, as she walked over to put her arms around Rossi.

“Well, Congratulations you two!” Hotch spoke up. 

“Yes, Congratulations!” Blake added. “I know James will be delighted to hear about it when he arrives.”

“James is on his way?” Emma asked eagerly.

“Yes. The minute I told him, he began arranging to have his classes covered for the next few days so he could join us,” Blake reported happily. “He is really interested in seeing my handiwork!”

“Yours and mine, both,” JJ reminded her.

“And, what about me?” Emma questioned. “I suppose I didn’t have something to do with this?” She pointed to the baby she was holding.

“You had everything to do with it!” Blake declared emphatically as JJ joined her in laughing.

“Okay, enough with the girl talk,” Morgan interrupted. “I may have only held the watch and gotten my hand mangled, but I think that entitles me to hold the newest male member of our team. Reid?”

After making sure that the blue blanket was securely wrapped around his son, Reid reluctantly handed the baby over.

“And, Emma, I am claiming Honorary Uncle’s rights and laying claim to this lovely young lady,” Rossi declared, holding out his arms.

“I guess,” Emma grumbled with a half-smile as she handed the baby over. “Just remember that at 2 o’clock in the morning when she needs feeding and changing.”

“Dr. Porter – Emma?” Anderson was suddenly standing at the hospital room door, cradling a huge bouquet of flowers.

“Grant – Come in!” Emma invited him. 

“I came to apologize,” the unfortunate agent began. “Oh, these are for you.” He handed the flowers over.

“For what?” Emma asked as she accepted the bouquet. “Grant, what happened was not your fault! You were blitzed or blindsided or ambushed or whatever you want to call it. The same thing would have happened if Godzilla had escorted me down there.”

“Well, maybe not Godzilla,” she conceded. 

“The point is that you are not responsible for someone else’s actions,” Hotch declared. 

“Nobody has eyes in the back of their head,” Blake pointed out. “And who would have thought that those unsubs could get hold of Rossi’s car, let alone get into our parking garage?”

“So, just come in and admire the babies along with everybody else,” JJ suggested as she leaned over Morgan’s shoulder to straighten the blanket.

“Names?” Cruz questioned. “I assume you have some picked out.”

“We are still debating about that,” Emma replied. “There are so many options. I think you are all going to have to wait for the Naming Ceremony.” 

“Naming Ceremony?” Garcia asked. “That sounds awesome! What exactly do you have planned?”

“My mother thinks it is a good idea,” Reid spoke up. “Apparently, she has some ideas for it based on her background in 14th century literature.”

“You mother is coming?” Blake asked.

“She and dad are on their way here even as we speak,” Emma reported happily. “We should be seeing them within the next,” she paused and motioned for Morgan to show her his watch, “Thirty hours or so.”


	73. Chapter 73

Will Reid knocked on the door to the private nursing room located adjacent to the hospital’s chapel. It was almost three days since the twins had been born, and he and Diana had spent most of that time in his car driving to Quantico.

“Come in,” Emma’s welcoming voice called out.

As Will and Diana walked into the room, Emma was busily burping a baby. She looked up and smiled at them. “I am so glad you could make it!” she exclaimed. “The Naming Ceremony is scheduled to start in about an hour.”

“We wouldn’t have missed this for anything in the world!” Will exclaimed.

“And Will was kind enough to drive so I didn’t have to get on an airplane,” Diana added. “Are these our grandchildren?”

She hesitantly approached the two bassinets sitting next to Emma.

“They certainly are!” Emma confirmed. “As you may have guessed, the boy is in there, wrapped in a blue blanket, and I am holding the girl, wrapped in a pink blanket.”

“Outdated convention,” Diana sniffed.

“Are you okay?” Will Reid questioned, concerned. “We understand the babies were born under rather – unusual – circumstances. And, Dave told me that you had a bit of a problem afterwards.”

“I’m fine,” Emma assured him. “Just really glad it is over with!”

“And, the woman who was giving you all the trouble, the one who trashed your car and your apartment?” Will asked.

“It’s over with – She’s gone,” Emma reported. “According to Dave, when the ME did the autopsy on her he found that she had apparently suffered a blow to the head, probably when she was quite young. It was in an area that is particularly hard to image during a routine scan, so no one ever noticed it. Also, during the past – 18 months maybe – she had begun to develop a brain tumor. Because of the two conditions, she suffered a series of small strokes, leading up to the larger one that actually caused her death.”

“As for her associate, he has had mental problems for most of his life and that made him particularly easy for her to manipulate. He is currently undergoing a psychiatric evaluation and will most likely be sent back to Nevada to spend the rest of his life in a very secure facility.”

“Well, at least that poor woman’s family has some closure,” Diana said thoughtfully as she stood watching her grandson sleep.

“Now,” Emma smiled. “Dr. Dia – Mom – Why don’t you sit down in this chair next to me,” she patted the chair, “And see if you remember how to hold a baby?”

“And, Dad,” she continued. “Why don’t you take your grandson out of his bassinet so you can begin telling him stories about what his father was like at that age?”


	74. Chapter 74

“One healthy baby is a blessing, two healthy babies are indeed a miracle,” the white-haired man standing at the front of the hospital’s nondenominational chapel began. “And, today we are here to celebrate a miracle – Two healthy babies who, as I understand it, were born under rather unusual circumstances.” He paused to smile at the two babies as they slept in their hospital bassinets.

“For those who don’t know me, I am Reverend Louis Montgomery, one of the chaplains assigned to the FBI Quantico Headquarters,” he continued. “And, I must say that I was truly honored when Spencer and Emma asked me to preside over the naming ceremony of their twins.”

“I have to admit that I have never presided at a naming ceremony before,” he said ruefully. “So, I had to look it up. It seems that traditionally, such a ceremony is viewed as an opportunity to celebrate the birth and to introduce the child to the community; but it is also a chance for the community to show their support and commitment to both the physical and the spiritual well being of the child. On this occasion, we have an additional cause for celebration. Emma and Spencer have welcomed not one but two children into this world.”

He paused to smile at the group assembled in front of him, many of whom he knew and had counselled. Emma and Reid were sitting on the right side of the front row with the babies, in their hospital bassinets, along side of them. On the left side of the first row, Reid’s parents were sitting, along with Rossi and Garcia. In the next several rows of the sanctuary were Hotch and Jack, Blake and James, JJ with both Will and Henry, Morgan and Savannah, Cruz, and Anderson. Al and Ginny, along with several other members of the Rossi family and some of the hospital’s nurses, made up the rest of the audience.

“Choosing a name for a child carries a lot of responsibility,” the reverend continued. “It reflects the hopes, the dreams, and the expectations that the parents have for their child. It can also be used to honor a person or persons that the parents hold in high esteem. Most importantly, it is the name by which the child will be known for the rest of their life. After speaking with Spencer and Emma, I believe they have made some wise choices.” He smiled at the new parents.

“If you will bring the babies up here.” He nodded to Emma and Reid who, after exchanging smiles, each picked up a baby and walked over to stand next to him facing the room.

“And, now, in the order in which they were born, I would like to formally introduce you to Diana Jennifer Porter-Reid, and David Alexander Porter-Reid.”

Garcia’s cheer was the first of many as the well-wishers first applauded, and then cheered, and then thronged forward to greet the two babies.

“You actually named him David?” Rossi choked out.

“Of course,” Emma told him with a smile. “After all you have done for us, it’s the least we could do. Besides, I always liked the name. Defeating giants with a slingshot and all - ”

“And, Alexander?” Blake asked, amazed, as James stood next to her beaming at the new parents.

“You are the person responsible for his being here and being in good health,” Emma reminded her. “He needs to know that and we all need to remember it.”

“Diana?” Reid’s mother was close to tears.

“Thank You!” her husband choked out as he hugged her tightly, trying hard to contain his own tears.

“Jennifer?” Will questioned the new parents. “You named her after my wife?”

“After everything she has done for Spencer over the years, we couldn’t not do it,” Emma replied. “And, with us using Jennifer as a middle name, you can still use it as a first name, just in case you ever have a need to.”

“Well thought out, wise decisions all the way around,” Cruz declared with a smile.


	75. Chapter 75

The celebration soon moved into a large conference room where a buffet luncheon, arranged for by Rossi with input from Garcia, had been set up. Numerous wrapped packages and gift bags containing presents for the babies covered a library table, which had been set up against one of the side walls, while smaller tables with tablecloths and chairs were positioned throughout the room.

“Now, before everyone gets down to the business of eating,” Reverend Montgomery spoke up to address the group. “Emma and Spencer would like to say a few words.” He smiled at the new parents who were standing next to him.

“But, first,” Rossi carried a chair over for Emma to sit in at the front of the room. “Sit!” he ordered the new mother who meekly obeyed.

“All right, first off, we would like to thank everyone for coming,” Reid began as he stood next to his wife. “Your being here today means a lot to us.”

“And, there are several presentations we would like to make,” Emma announced. She held up two gift-wrapped packages.

“Derek Morgan and Aaron Hotchner,” she called out.

“Me? Us?” Morgan questioned, exchanging puzzled looks with his supervisor as they both made their way to the front of the room.

“You both contributed shirts when the babies were born,” Emma announced with a smile. “And, unfortunately, neither shirt is in any condition to be worn again. So - ”

She handed each man a package. “These are new shirts for you, from the babies, with their sincere thanks.”

“Actually, Penelope picked them out,” she added in a stage whisper. “So, if you want to exchange them, get with her.”

“I am sure this will be fine,” Hotch assured her with a smile as he accepted the package.

“If Baby Girl picked it out, I am sure it is great,” Morgan contributed as he took the other package.

“You gave the babies a shirt, Daddy?” Jack called out from where he was standing with Henry.

“He most certainly did,” Blake assured the young man with a smile. “And, it was a big help when they were born.”

“And, now, Grant Anderson,” Emma continued.

“You contributed a pair of shoelaces,” she told the agent when he walked over. “I wasn’t sure exactly what color or size or anything so I had Penelope pick up an assortment.” She smiled at him as she handed over a small, wrapped box. “I hope you can use at least one pair of these.”

“I am sure there won’t be any problem with that,” the agent assured her. “And, Thank You!”

“The twins are thanking you,” Emma gently reminded him.

“And, now, before we eat, a blessing,” Reverend Montgomery announced.

**~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~**

“You sit down at a table!” Ginny ordered the new mother as soon as the blessing had been said. “There is a chair right over there. And, I am going to bring you something to eat.”

“Ginny, you sit down!” Rossi interrupted her. “You and Al just got out of the hospital. Stop fussing over everyone else and let someone fuss over you for a change. Your daughter, Sofia, is over there getting you something to eat and Morgan is getting something for Emma. Besides, once they have been released from the hospital, Emma and the babies will be coming back to the house for a few days. You can fuss over her there.”

He promptly escorted both Emma and Ginny to one of the small tables and pulled out a chair for each of them. Sofia quickly appeared with a plate food for her mother, and Morgan wasn’t far behind her.

“Here, Mama,” Morgan put a plate of food on the table in front of Emma. “Savannah said everything on here contains nutrients you need.”

“What about you?” Emma asked coyly. “Are you still replacing all the nutrients you lost after the babies were born?”

“Hotch told you,” Morgan looked distinctly uncomfortable. “That was embarrassing! However, that reminds me that I need to apologize to Reid. I saw parts of his wife – “ he trailed off.

“Derek, you are part of the reason the twins and I are all here and in good health,” Emma told him. “If you hadn’t shot that lock off the door and then helped Blake and JJ, the babies and I might still be sitting in that cold, dark cellar. You have absolutely nothing to apologize for.”

Meanwhile, JJ and Garcia were standing next to the babies, talking as they again admired the newborns.

“I still can’t believe that Spence is actually someone’s father,” JJ commented. “It seems only yesterday that he was walking down the ramp into the bullpen for the first time.”

“I remember his first day,” Garcia giggled. “He was so nervous he spilled hot coffee all over himself and I had to help him clean up. It took me a while to realize that what I was helping clean up was mostly wet sugar with just a smidgen of coffee.” She sobered. “It’s too bad Gideon can’t be here to see this,” she added sadly.

“He would be proud of Spence,” JJ agreed. “He certainly has come a long way.”

“Bear sends his regards,” Will Reid told his son as they both helped themselves to some food. “He wanted to be here but some business deal came up. He said that he works harder now that his dealing are legitimate than he did before when he was, shall we say, ‘being creative’. He also asked me to tell you that he is sending each of the twins a gift.”

Reid looked at him uncertainly. “Did he say what?”

“I have it on good authority that he is not sending a matching pair of motorcycles,” Will Reid smiled. “Although, I give you no guarantee that those won’t be arriving a few years from now.”

“I’ll bet you don’t remember us,” a woman wearing an EMT uniform walked over to introduce herself and the man accompanying her to Emma.

“Oh My Gosh! You are the EMTs who took care of the twins!” Emma gasped as she carefully stood up to hug them. “I never got the chance to thank you!”

“I hope you don’t mind us dropping I like this,” the woman continued. “But, so many of the calls we get result in unhappy endings that it is a pleasure to get a call with a happy ending for a change.”

“We brought a patient in just now and decided to check up on the twins,” the man added, looking around the room. “And the nurses upstairs said they are down here.”

“They are both over there with Penelope,” Emma pointed across the room. “She’s kind of upset because she wasn’t there when they were born and is trying to making up for ‘lost time’.”

“You mean the attractive woman with the blond hair and glasses?” the man asked interestedly.

“Yes, the one with the very protective fiancé who is in the FBI,” Emma warned him with a smile.

“So, Reid, Emma, and the babies are coming back to your house?” Cruz was talking with Rossi.

“For a little while at least,” Rossi replied. “As you know, the babies came unexpectedly early and the workmen are still working on remodeling their house. Morgan and I went over there this morning and got the bassinets and a stack of baby supplies and moved it all back to my place.”

“Are you sure you are ready for this?” Cruz smiled. “Babies do have a tendency to upset a household’s routine.”

“Well,” Rossi smirked back. “I had best get used to it now. As you know, Penelope is very fond of babies.”


	76. Chapter 76

As everyone was finishing eating, a hospital nurse appeared in the conference room’s doorway with a wheelchair. “I’m sorry, Doctor Porter-Reid, but it’s time for you to go back to your room. You need your rest,” she announced.

Morgan walked over and took charge of the wheelchair. “If you don’t mind,” he told the nurse, treating her to one of his megawatt smiles, “I’ll take her back to her room – No detours - I promise!”

“If you promise,” the nurse replied sternly. “I’ll be waiting upstairs.”

Morgan wheeled the chair over to Emma. “Your chariot awaits,” he told her. “Do you need help getting in?”

“Thanks, I can manage,” Emma told him as she carefully stood up.

"David and Diana?” she questioned, looking around.

“It looks like some nurses from the nursery staff are here to get them,” Morgan nodded across the room. “And, Savannah and Garcia are grilling them. They should be okay.”

On their way upstairs they chatted about the weather, the naming ceremony, and the various guests. When Morgan had wheeled the chair into Emma’s hospital room, he moved so he was standing in front of her, and then squatted down so he was looking her in the eyes.

“I just want you to know that I will be there for David and Diana for the rest of their lives,” he told her seriously. “Whether they want to learn how to throw a ball or how to capture an unsub, I will be there. I discussed it with Savannah and she understands and agrees with me. You know the kind of job we have, and I want you to know that just in case – “

“I know,” Emma replied as she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then opened her eyes to look into Morgan’s. “And, I also know you are a man of your word. I have never doubted that. You know, that’s part of the reason your mother is so proud of you.”

“You’ve discussed me with my mother?” he asked her, surprised.

“Oh, yes, Mr. Derek Morgan,” Emma smiled at him. “You could say she saved my life. Several weeks ago, I woke up in the middle of the night – totally panicked. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into with the babies and the more I thought about it the surer I was that I couldn’t handle it. You name it, I was terrified of it. In a panic, I called Penelope, and she suggested I call the one woman she knew who had successfully raised three children, mostly on her own. She gave me your mother’s number. I called her in the middle of the night, and she was incredible! She listened. She talked. She advised. She talked me off the ledge, so to speak. Since then, I have called her several more times for support. I owe her.”

“Now, have you told her you helped deliver the twins?” she continued.

“No, I haven’t had a chance to call her,” Morgan confessed.

“Well, you might want to,” Emma advised. “I happen to know she is planning on visiting you within the next week or two. She wants to meet me and I am so looking forward to it!”

“Also,” she added. “You might want to consider putting a ring on Savannah’s finger before your mom gets here. Otherwise, you are probably going to have to do some pretty fast talking!”


	77. Chapter 77

**1 1/2 years (more or less) later**

 

It was a warm afternoon in late spring. Emma had opened the windows to let the fresh air in and was stretched out on the sunroom couch with a book when Rossi walked in.

“Dave!” she smiled at him. “What a surprise! Did you and Penelope drop by for a visit?”

“Yes!” he told her. “I’m surprised to see you inside on such a nice afternoon.”

“Well, Spencer seemed to have everything under control with the Terrible Twosome, so I decided to come in here for a while. It was getting a little warm out there for me and I was getting a bit tired. I assume your darling daughter and wife are out in the yard with my crew?”

“Yes. Your two seem fascinated by the fact that there is someone in this world even smaller than them and that she is just learning to walk,” Rossi smiled. “And, I must admit, I am rather fascinated by the process, myself.”

Rossi looked carefully at Emma as she lay there on the couch.

“Emma, look at me,” he ordered her.

“What?” Emma replied, with a small smile.

“Look at me!” Rossi repeated himself.

Emma looked directly into his eyes, and he returned her smile.

“Does Reid know?” he asked.

“No. I’m not really sure myself,” she admitted.

“Well, young lady, after what happened last time, you had better get yourself to a doctor as soon as possible,” Rossi advised.

“Last time was an aberration,” Emma maintained. “I can’t see myself being ‘blessed’ with twins a second time. Besides, she’s gone now and all is right with the world.”

“You never know,” Rossi told her. “Just remember –“

“Everything happens for a reason,” Emma chimed in.

 

**FINI**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINI - I must admit the end of this sage came up faster than I had expected. To those of you who have stayed with me throughout the series - Thank You! To those of you who have sent Kudos or Comments - Thank You So Very Much! Readers and writers both - You make my day worthwhile and I thank you!


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